ISLAMABAD: A video went viral after Prime Minister Imran Khan first shared it showing a brown bear enjoying the snow in the recently announced Karakoram National Park, on the world’s second highest plateau ‘Deosai’. This caught the attention of conservationists, all of whom lauded efforts to protect and conserve this rare species.
The prime minister shared the video via his Twitter account vowing that other endangered species, including the snow leopard and Marco Polo sheep, in Karakoram National Park will also be protected. Conservationists from around the world appreciate the government-led efforts of Imran to establish the Karakoram National Park to protect endangered species of endangered animals. Some of them hope that Pakistan can increase its Himalayan brown bear population with the help of newly introduced measures in line with international best practice. Last year in December, the prime minister inaugurated the Himalayan and Nanga Parbat National Parks in Gilgit-Baltistan, aiming to protect endangered wildlife and to promote ecotourism in the area. The Himalayan brown bear is one of the largest carnivores in the Himalayan highlands. Rashid Bhat, a conservationist, said, “It is great to see the Pakistani government making serious efforts to protect endangered plant and animal species by establishing national parks across the country.” According to the Ministry of Climate Change, the government will train ‘Park Service Nighebaans’, who will be hired to manage parks in Gilgit-Baltistan, as biodiversity protection areas, safe habitats for wildlife conservation as well as for the promotion of nature-based ecotourism.
