Threats to Ladakh Urial in Gilgit Baltistan
Pakistan J. Wildl., vol. 16(2), pp 16-25, 2025
Threats to Ladakh Urial (Ovis vignei vignei Blyth, 1841) in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan
Muhammad Siraj-ud-Din1, Riaz Aziz Minhas1*, Mayoor Khan2, Muhammad Siddique Awan1, Usman Ali3 and Basharat Ahmad1
1Department of Zoology, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad 13100,
Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
2Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Gilgit-Baltistan 15100, Pakistan
3Department of Zoology, Mirpur University of Science and Technology, Mirpur 10250,
Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan
*Corresponding author: [email protected]
Running Title: Threats to Ladakh Urial in Gilgit Baltistan
ABSTRACT
The Ladakh urial is the smallest among wild sheep with very restricted distribution range confined to Ladakh (Indian held Kashmir) and Gilgit- Baltistan (Pakistan). In Pakistan, the endangered Ladakh urial is facing severe threats of illegal hunting, habitat degradation, by increasing livestock population and extraction of wood, fodder, medicinal plants, poaching, lamb picking, and disease transfer from domestic livestock. Its distribution range is shrinking continuously, and they have been extirpated from at least six previously known localities during the last decade. The present study was conducted from January to September 2013 to collect the information on status, magnitude, and severity of threats to urial population in Gilgit- Baltistan. Field surveys were conducted to collect data on Ethno-ecology and threats to urial in the study area. Local knowledgeable persons including hunters, shepherds, wildlife guards, and community wildlife rangers, officials of governmental and nongovernmental organizations were identified to collect the secondary information about the presence of threats to urial at different localities in the area. Data was collected through formal and informal interviews (n=150). During the last 13 years (2000-2013), about 70 Ladakh urial killings were reported and confirmed from different areas of GB. All the respondents, interviewed during study, were familiar to the urial existence in the area. Majority of these locals (n=79, 53%) were happy with urials presence in their area and favors (n=61, 41%) its protection in their respected areas. Majority of the respondents (70%) reported that Ladakh urial population has declined over the last few decades. Most of the respondents had very key information about the past records of population and hunting of urial. These locals along with their important information can be utilized for formulating and implementing the conservation strategies for these highly threatened animals in the area.
Key words: Ladakh Urial; Gilgit Baltistan; poaching; habitat degradation; hunting; threats.