Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Asim Iftikhar Ahmad has said Markhor is not merely a conservation subject but Pakistan’s national animal and a symbol of resilience and majesty.
He was addressing a side-event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City marking the International Day of the Markhor, co-hosted by the Permanent Missions of Pakistan and Tajikistan along with IUCN and UNEP, according to a statement today.
Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said the species is native to the high mountain regions of Chitral, Kohistan, Kalam, Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He said Pakistan takes immense pride in the recovery of the Markhor population, which had once been on the brink of extinction. He said the steady increase in the number of Markhors over the past decade reflects proactive conservation efforts, community ownership and sustained political commitment.
The Permanent Representative, however, warned that climate change is posing serious threats to the Markhor’s habitat. He said shifting treelines, prolonged rainfall shortages and rising temperatures are affecting oak forests, a major food source for the animal, exposing them to diseases and vegetation loss.
Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said illegal hunting remains a persistent challenge despite Pakistan’s significant progress against poaching.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to working with global partners for the protection of the species and called for enhanced international cooperation to address emerging threats and ensure the continued survival of the mountain monarch.