Local authorities have filed charges against seven tribesmen for the killing of an endangered Persian leopard in the Dera Bugti district of Balochistan.
Sources report that the tribesmen killed the leopard in the Zain area to protect their livestock.
Dera Bugti Deputy Commissioner Ejaz Khan stated that the district administration has initiated legal proceedings under the Balochistan Wildlife Protection, Preservation, Conservation, and Management Act 2014.
He emphasized the need for wildlife organizations to launch awareness campaigns to educate tribesmen on the importance of protecting endangered species.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has also addressed the incident, instructing authorities to take strict legal action against those involved.
Umer Waqas, a former activist with WWF Pakistan, identified the animal as a Persian Leopard (Panthera pardus tulliana). This species is native to the Iranian Plateau, including the southwestern region of Balochistan.
Persian leopards typically inhabit rugged ravines at elevations between 600 and 3,800 meters, primarily preying on ungulates in these areas. The current adult population in the region is estimated to be fewer than 1,100.
Due to a decrease in their natural prey, conflicts between leopards and humans have risen, leading leopards to explore new territories and seek alternative prey. Persian leopards face threats from habitat fragmentation due to land use changes, poaching, loss of wild prey, and retaliatory killings for livestock predation.