The Northern Areas of Pakistan are rich in flora and fauna because of varied climatic conditions and ecosystems. In spite of unscientific management and ruthless hunting, wildlife in the Northern Areas still supports rare and endangered species of mammals and birds like Marco Polo sheep, blue sheep, markhor, black bear, brown bear, chakor and ram chakor.

Due to the destruction of habitat wildlife population of Northern Areas is decreasing rapidly. According to rough estimate of late Raja Bhadur Ali Khan, Conservator of Forests, Northern Areas, in 1970 there were 500 Marco Polo sheep in the Khunjerab National Park, but in 2004 they are only 75, restricted to Kirchinai nallah of the valley. Similarly snow leopard and other valuable species are also decreasing rapidly (Khan, 1970).

Until 1947 almost all the important valleys, most of them now included in protected areas, supported a high density of wild animals and hunting was allowed to only a few British and high ranking local officials, rulers and persons with high social status. Further more, the area was hard to access. Hunting for the common poachers was not easy. Traditional muzzle loading guns were commonly used, but were not very effective.

According to Ghulam Rasool in the revised addition of Jungle ka basi (Sumali Alaque ki jungli hayat), the topic on “History of wildlife in Northern Areas” provided the list of hunting records of Northern Areas in 1925 as under.

Table 1. Big Game hunter’s record of Northern Areas (1925)

Source: Rasool, G. 1998. Gungle ka basi ( Shomali alaque ki jungli hayat), Revised edition.

Due to the introduction of modern automatic weapons, excessive poaching, application of fertilizers and insecticides, cutting and felling of forests and associated loss of habitat, and poor planning of development projects, the wildlife population is decreasing at present. This, coupled with the interference of men and domesticated animals in virgin wildlife habitat, has resulted in a situation where nature can no longer maintain wildlife populations and their habitat at sustainable levels.

The government of Pakistan realized the situation in 1972 and the Northern Areas Forest Department (NAFD) was charged with the responsibility of controlling and managing wildlife of the Northern Areas. A WWF expedition to Pakistan visited this region in 1967-68. As an outcome of their recommendations the government of Pakistan established the Khunjerab National Park (KNP), five wildlife sanctuaries and nine game reserves. This was accomplished under the development scheme sanctioned for the conservation and development of wildlife in the Northern Areas in 1975. A separate wildlife wing was created to manage and control wildlife, with staff under general administrative control of the NAFD. The Wildlife Preservation Act 1975 was enacted and implemented for the protection of national parks and protected areas (Rasool, 1994).