CHITRAL: A devastating predator attack in the remote village of Gobor Bakh, Lotkoh, has resulted in the loss of over 50 livestock, leaving two local families in a state of financial ruin. The incident, attributed to a snow leopard, occurred near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, resulting in an estimated overnight loss of PKR 850,000.
According to a field report from the Snow Leopard Foundation (SLF) and the Wildlife Department of Chitral, who made a six-hour journey to the site, the predator entered a livestock shed through a narrow opening, triggering a mass panic. The carnage included 18 dead kids, 26 sheep, and 10 goats, while six sheep were left injured and four animals remain missing. Experts identified the event as “surplus killing,” a behaviour consistent with snow leopard attacks under panic conditions, noting that a similar incident claimed 22 animals in the same valley in 2019.
For the 147 households in the high-altitude Gobor Bakh Valley, altitude limits traditional farming, making livestock the sole source of income, food security, and savings. Following the attack, community members expressed that the risk of retaliatory killing against the endangered snow leopard is a very real possibility due to the sheer scale of the loss. Jamiullah, the SLF Regional Program Manager in Chitral, emphasised that this is not merely a conflict between humans and wildlife but a consequence of neglect, noting that failing to protect these families also means failing to protect the snow leopard.
In response, the SLF has committed to arranging immediate vaccinations for the remaining livestock and exploring further support, while the Wildlife Department has pledged to strengthen local Village Conservation Committees and push for trophy hunting programs to give residents a financial stake in wildlife protection. However, the SLF is calling for broader structural changes, including emergency compensation that avoids months of paperwork, the construction of predator-proof corrals, and the implementation of a livestock insurance scheme to act as a long-term safety net. They also advocate for veterinary support and the development of alternative income sources like eco-tourism and handicrafts to reduce total dependency on herds.
Pakistan is home to an estimated 155 to 220 snow leopards, one of the world’s most threatened big cats. Because these predators share their range with economically vulnerable mountain communities, the SLF maintains that conservation cannot succeed unless the people living alongside them are protected from ruin. The foundation is now urging the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and international conservation partners to act urgently to support the families of Gobor Bakh Valley and ensure the survival of this extraordinary species.
