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ISLAMABAD, May 17 (APP):WWF-Pakistan has strongly opposed the proposed transfer of two snow leopards from Pakistan to Russia, urging the government to cancel the plan immediately and uphold its commitment to wildlife conservation.
In a letter addressed to the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC), the organization warned that sending the snow leopards—currently housed at the Naltar Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Gilgit-Baltistan—to the Moscow Zoo would violate national and international conservation laws and set a harmful precedent for endangered species in Pakistan.
“This move contradicts Pakistan’s conservation commitments and risks the future of threatened wildlife,” stated WWF-Pakistan.
The snow leopard (Panthera uncia), classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, is protected under Pakistani law and listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which bans commercial trade.
The organization emphasized that Russia already has a larger wild snow leopard population, making the transfer unnecessary.
“There is no conservation justification for this export,” the letter read.
Instead, WWF-Pakistan called for strengthening local facilities like the Naltar Centre to improve wildlife rescue and rehabilitation within the country.
Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General of WWF-Pakistan, warned that the move could harm Pakistan’s global conservation reputation.
“Approving this export would undo decades of progress and weaken our role in protecting biodiversity,” he said. “We must prioritize our obligations under CITES and other international agreements.”
The organization urged the government to enhance the capacity of the Gilgit-Baltistan wildlife department and invest in local conservation efforts.
“Pakistan should lead by example in safeguarding its natural heritage,” the letter concluded, offering WWF-Pakistan’s support to the ministry in advancing wildlife protection policies.