KARACHI: Expanding infrastructure is threatening the survival of Pakistan’s snow leopards by increasing contact with humans, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-Pakistan warned on Wednesday.

The warning came on the eve of International Snow Leopard Day, highlighting the growing pressure on wildlife from development.

The WWF-P recently conducted a Road Ecology Study, the first such research in the country, which found that infrastructure expansion is fragmenting snow leopard habitat and disrupting their natural movement.

The study observed that heavy traffic on the Karakoram Highway has led to noise and air pollution, which may affect the breeding and migration behaviour of wildlife in Khunjerab National Park (KNP).

Habitat degradation is also being driven by overgrazing, which is reducing populations of ibex and blue sheep, key prey species for snow leopards.

“Roads, while important for connectivity and development, can pose serious risks to mountain wildlife unless properly planned and managed,” said Rab Nawaz senior director programmes at WWF-P.

The organisation is using (SMART) Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool technology to track population trends and detect threats in real time. Artificial intelligence (AI) is also being used to help reduce conflict between communities and wildlife.

In partnership with the Lahore University of Management Sciences, WWF-P has deployed AI-powered camera traps at key sites. These detect wildlife movement and provide data to help protect livestock. In early 2025, one such system successfully identified a snow leopard with high accuracy.

WWF-Phas also worked with the Wildlife Departments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan to roll out SMART tools, combining software, patrol protocols and real-time data to help rangers monitor snow leopard activity, poaching and disease outbreaks.

Pakistan is one of 12 countries within the natural range of Panthera uncia, commonly known as the snow leopard. WWF-P has been engaged in its conservation since the early 1990s.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2025