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Volume 8
Journal of Ecosystem & Ecography
Biodiversity Congress 2018
July 26-27, 2018
July 26-27, 2018 Melbourne, Australia
7
th
International Conference on
Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management
Human-wildlife conflicts in selected areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
Nausheen Irshad and Sajjad Hameed Mughal
University of Poonch Rawalakot, Pakistan
H
uman-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) exists in both developed and developing countries; it ismore serious in developing nations.
Knowledge of species ecology and of species sensitivity to anthropogenic disturbance is an important prerequisite for
conservation/ management. Therefore, Azad Jammu and Kashmir the part of great Himalayas has been selected to highlight the
wildlife hunting practices during January 2015 to February 2018. During current studies it was found that the problem mainly
arises due to feeding habits of wild animals as some are frugivorous (Small Indian civet, Himalayan palm civet, Small Kashmir
flying squirrel and Indian flying fox ) who damaged human cultivated fruit trees. Besides Indian crested porcupine and Wild
boar acts as a serious crop pest and therefore eradicated whenever encountered. The feeding upon domestic animals (common
leopard) and poultry (Asiatic jackal, red fox and small wild cats) was also reported as a factor of predation. We also recovered
numerous wild animals (N=50) killed by local community. Despite protected status, the killed mammals belonged to categories
of Critically Endangered (
Panthera pardus
), near threatened (
Viverricula indica
) and vulnerable (
Hylopetes fimbriatus
) species.
The important birds include critically endangered (
Falco peregrines
), endangered (
Lophura leucomelanos
), vulnerable (
Catreus
wallichii
) and near threatened species (
Lophophorus impejanus
). It was found that mammals were primarily killed due to
human wildlife conflict (HWC) (60%) followed by recreation (20%), trade (15%) and accidental killing (5%). Whereas, the
foremost hunting reasons for birds are recreation (50%) and food (25%). Birds are also being used as an important trade
commodity (25%). The drastic hunting/killing of the species needs our immediate attention. This unwarranted killing must be
stopped forthwith, otherwise these animals will become extinct.
nausheen_Irshad@yahoo.comJ Ecosyst Ecogr 2018, Volume 8
DOI: 10.4172/2157-7625-C4-042