PESHAWAR: Wildlife is an integral part of the environment providing multiple benefits to all creatures and its existence is essential for maintaining a balanced ecosystem in the nature.

This was the crux of a presentation made by wildlife department chief conservator Mubarik Ali Shah at a function organised here on Tuesday in connection with the World Wildlife Day. Other speakers said that in Pakistan the biggest threat to wildlife was lack of awareness besides poaching, expansion of human population and livestock.

The function was organised by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department at its auditorium and attended by environmentalists and students of Pakistan Forest Institute (PFI), zoology department and environmental sciences department of the University of Peshawar.

The United Nations has declared March 3 as the World Wildlife Day, which is celebrated throughout the world with the objective to create awareness among people of the threat confronting the wildlife resources. The theme of the day was “Serve as a mean to sensitise people for their support for wildlife conservation”.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Shah apprised the participants of the measures being taken by them for conservation of wild species in the country. He said that there were around 188 kinds of mammals, 177 reptiles and 666 kinds of birds found in Pakistan.

The wildlife department is involving communities for preservation of wild species and trophy hunting programme is the best example of successful conservation of markhor.

He said that markhor was one of the endangered species in the country, but now due to effective measures Pakistan had the largest population of around 2,500 of the wild goat.

He said that through trophy hunting scheme not only markhor was conserved, the communities involved in its preservation also benefited from the earning made through sale of hunting permits.

The chief conservator said that the department had set up 106 private community game reserves besides taking measures for creating awareness among masses of the importance of wildlife. In this connection, wildlife clubs have been formed in different schools of the province and billboards erected to educate people.

The wildlife department has adopted measures to protect, conserve and manage wildlife through protected areas, community participation programmes, rehabilitation of endangered species, enforcement of law and awareness programme, he added.

The function was also addressed by deputy conservator wildlife Mian Mohammad Shafiq, who informed the participants about threats to wild species. He said that the biggest threat to wildlife was lack of awareness besides poaching, expansion of human population and livestock.

Dr Dost Mohammad threw light on importance of wildlife conservation as ordained in Islam.

Students from PFI, and zoology and environmental sciences departments also delivered speeches on the importance of wildlife. – APP