Suleman Markhor, the national mammal of Pakistan, listed as endangered specie in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)'s 'Red List of Threatened Species', has been traced in the Khalifat mountain range in Ziarat, stated an official announcement by IUCN, here on Tuesday.
The statement said that during a survey by IUCN Pakistan, six females and one male Markhor were directly sighted in Khalifat mountain area, whereas two female Markhor were sighted in Malikat Mountains. IUCN Pakistan undertook the first ever survey of wildlife focusing on wild ungulates inhabiting the area. The purpose of the survey was to confirm occurrence of surviving population of Straight-horned Suleman Markhor -Capra falconerijerdoni in the Khalifat Mountain Range in Ziarat.
The survey was organised by IUCN in collaboration with Balochistan Forest and Wildlife Department and SUSG-C Asia Habitat and Species Conservation Project, Quetta. Five teams comprising of wildlife experts from IUCN, Balochistan Forest and Wildlife Department, SUSG-C Asia and local community members conducted this survey at various potential sites of Markhor in the area.
The survey revealed existence of very thin population of Suleman Markhor in the Khalifat mountain range in Ziarat. During the survey, six females and one male Markhor were directly sighted in Khalifat mountain area whereas; two females were sighted in Malikat Mountains. The fresh droppings of Markhor in the Malikat mountains also confirmed existence of Markhor in the area.
Ghulam Qadir Shah, Project Manager Juniper Conservation Project termed the survey a great success, as existence of Suleman Makhor was scientifically authenticated in the area for the first time. He informed that IUCN Ziarat plans more similar surveys in the area next year to estimate total surviving population of Suleman Markhor in the area. According to IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2010, no reliable information on occurrence of Suleman Markhor in Juniper Wildlife Sanctuary Ziarat was reported before.
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