Pakistan serves as a source and transit route for the illicit trade in reptiles, mammals and medicinal plants.
Community awareness session with women to discuss possible factors of illegal snow leopard trade PHOTO: EXPRESS
LAHORE:
On the occasion of World Wildlife Day 2026, WWF-Pakistan has called for urgent action to combat the illegal wildlife trade and unsustainable harvesting practices, warning that both are putting Pakistan’s biodiversity and natural heritage under increasing pressure.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the organization said wildlife trafficking remains a serious challenge to global conservation, with Pakistan serving as a source and transit route for illicit trade. From reptiles and mammals to high-value medicinal plants, illegal extraction continues to deplete natural resources and weaken the fragile ecosystems that local communities depend on.
WWF-Pakistan stated that it is working with government departments and partner organizations to strengthen law enforcement mechanisms, improve inter-agency coordination and enhance the capacity of frontline wildlife personnel and judicial officials to effectively prevent and prosecute wildlife crimes.
WWF-Pakistan Senior Conservation Manager Muhammad Jamshed Iqbal Chaudhry said the organization has developed a comprehensive training curriculum and prevention strategy for illegal wildlife trade. National training is being carried out on SMART monitoring, species identification, wildlife crime investigation, ranger safety, safe animal handling and community engagement. He added that more than 1,200 people, including community members, students, journalists and local leaders, have participated in awareness sessions and webinars.
The organization highlighted recent conservation efforts in Deva Vatala National Park, carried out in collaboration with local communities and the Wildlife Department of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. These efforts led to the rescue and release of several species, including rock pythons, Indian pangolins, barking deer, and Alexandrian parakeets, demonstrating the impact of coordinated law enforcement and community management.
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Rab Nawaz, Senior Director of Programs at WWF-Pakistan, said effective conservation requires both strict enforcement and informed communities. He noted that strengthening institutional capacity and engaging local stakeholders is essential to prevent wildlife crime and protect vulnerable species.
Referring to the 2026 theme, “Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conservation of Health, Heritage and Livelihoods”, he said Pakistan is home to a wide range of medicinal and aromatic plants, including Asparagus racemosus (Shatavari), Viola odorata (banafsha), Nardostachys jatamansi (Jatamansi) and Saussurea costus (Kuth), widely used in traditional medicine and herbal industry. In arid regions like Balochistan and Sindh, Commiphora wightii (Guggal) is harvested for its resin. In contrast, high altitude species such as Ephedra and Bergenia ciliata (Zakhm-e-hayat) are collected in the northern forests.
However, WWF-Pakistan warned that growing commercial demand has resulted in unsustainable harvesting practices. High-value species such as Kuth, Jatamansi and Guggal are often uprooted completely, limiting natural regeneration and threatening both the stability of ecosystems and the livelihoods of communities that depend on these resources.
Globally, more than 20 percent of medicinal plant species are now threatened with extinction due to habitat loss, climate change and illegal trade, underscoring the need for nationally and internationally coordinated conservation actions.
