ISLAMABAD: WWF-Pakistan on Saturday demanded that the proposed export of snow leopards from Pakistan to Russia be immediately cancelled and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the conservation of its iconic wildlife species.

The organisation called for strengthening the Naltar Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre to function as a dedicated facility for wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and veterinary care.

“A move to transfer the snow leopards from Gilgit-Baltistan to Moscow not only contradicts national and international conservation commitments but also risks setting a highly detrimental precedent for future transfer of threatened and iconic wildlife species from Pakistan,” WWF-Pakistan said in a letter to the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination on the proposed transfer of two snow leopards, currently housed at the Naltar Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, to the Moscow Zoo, Russia.

According to WWF-Pakistan, the snow leopard is listed as a threatened (vulnerable) species on the IUCN Red List (2017), and it receives the highest level of legal protection under Pakistan’s national and provincial wildlife legislation.

Body says no ‘compelling conservation rationale’ for transferring these animals

Additionally, the species is included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which strictly prohibits international trade except under exceptional, non-commercial circumstances.

It further said there was no compelling conservation rationale for transferring these snow leopards to Russia, a country that already hosts a significantly larger wild population of the species.

WWF-Pakistan recommended that instead of exporting the country’s unique natural heritage, Pakistan should demonstrate global leadership by reinforcing its commitment to conservation and the protection of its remaining wild snow leopard populations.

It also highlighted the risk that once the snow leopards were transferred, it would be difficult to monitor or ensure the well-being of these animals under Russian jurisdiction.

Remarking on the proposed move, Hammad Naqi Khan, WWF-Pakistan director general, said that approval of this export would undermine decades of conservation progress and significantly damage Pakistan’s standing in the global conservation community.

This moment called for reaffirming stewardship of national biodiversity and strengthening the institutions responsible for its protection, rather than yielding to external pressures that compromised long-term conservation goals.

“We need to uphold Pakistan’s obligations under international agreements such as CITES and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) by prioritising the protection of vulnerable and critically endangered species within national borders,” Mr Khan added.

WWF-Pakistan said it strongly recommended steps to strengthen the Naltar Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre to function as a dedicated facility for wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and veterinary care, equipped to manage future confiscations and care cases.

It also asked for enhancing the capacity of the Gilgit-Baltistan Parks and Wildlife Department through targeted technical training, adequate financial support, and provision of essential operational equipment.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2025