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WWF-Pakistan strongly opposes the move to transfer snow leopards to Moscow

Posted on 17 May 2025

Islamabad, 17 May 2025: “A move to transfer the snow leopards from Gilgit-Baltistan to Moscow not only contradicts national and international conservation commitments but also risks setting a highly detrimental precedent for the future transfer of threatened and iconic wildlife species from Pakistan”. WWF-Pakistan stated this in a letter to the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC), Government of Pakistan, on the proposed transfer of two snow leopards, currently housed at the Naltar Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, to the Moscow Zoo, Russia. WWF-Pakistan expressed its deepest concern and opposition to the move and demanded that the proposed export of snow leopards be immediately cancelled. The organization also called for reaffirmation of Pakistan’s commitment to the conservation of its iconic wildlife species and emphasized upholding the obligations under international agreements.

According to WWF-Pakistan, the snow leopard (Panthera uncia), listed as a threatened (Vulnerable) species on the IUCN Red List (2017), receives the highest level of legal protection under Pakistan’s national and provincial wildlife legislation, including that of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, the species is included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which strictly prohibits international trade except under exceptional, non-commercial circumstances. It further said there is no compelling conservation rationale for transferring these snow leopards to Russia, a country that already hosts a significantly larger wild population of the species.

WWF-Pakistan recommended that instead of exporting the country’s unique natural heritage, Pakistan should demonstrate global leadership by reinforcing its commitment to in situ conservation and the protection of its remaining wild snow leopard populations. The organization also highlighted the risk that once the snow leopards are transferred, it would be difficult to monitor or ensure the well-being of these animals under Russian jurisdiction.

Remarking on the proposed move, Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General WWF-Pakistan, said that approval of this export would undermine decades of conservation progress and significantly damage Pakistan’s standing in the global conservation community. This moment calls for reaffirming our stewardship of national biodiversity and strengthening the institutions responsible for its protection, rather than yielding to external pressures that compromise our long-term conservation goals. “We need to uphold Pakistan’s obligations under international agreements such as CITES and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) by prioritizing the protection of vulnerable and critically endangered species within national borders”, Khan added.

WWF-Pakistan strongly recommended steps to strengthen the Naltar Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre to function as a dedicated facility for wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and veterinary care, equipped to manage future confiscations and care cases. It also asked for enhancing the capacity of the Gilgit-Baltistan Parks and Wildlife Department through targeted technical training, adequate financial support, and provision of essential operational equipment. The organization reiterated that Pakistan must set an example for other nations in ensuring the protection of the country’s invaluable wildlife heritage. In the letter, WWF-Pakistan also expressed its commitment to supporting the Ministry in designing and implementing measures that advance wildlife conservation across Pakistan.

Snow leopard at the Naltar Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, Gilgit-Baltistan.

WWF-Pakistan strongly opposes the move to transfer snow leopards to Moscow

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