Chitral, Jan 19, 2026: The death of a rare snow leopard in Garam Chashma valley of Lower Chitral has sparked public criticism and renewed questions about the performance and accountability of the Wildlife Department.
Local sources told ChitralToday that the snow leopard was first spotted by locals in Thunik village about one and a half months ago. The wild cat continued changing locations and was spotted by residents in different areas. The residents shared information about its presence on social media. At last, the snow leopard was found dead in Waht village near Parabeg bazar.
Despite being informed about the presence, the Wildlife Department failed to take timely measures to protect the animal. The locals residents told ChitralToday that the actual habitat of snow leopard was Chitral Gol area and the animal rarely moved to Garam Chashma valley in the winter. It seems that this time the animal roamed in the mountains of Garam Chashma but could not go back to its habitat. They said the Wildlife Department could have helped the animal move back to its habitat.
Following the recovery of the animal’s carcass, the Wildlife Department formed an inquiry committee to investigate the incident. This move, however, has drawn sharp criticism from civil society and environmental activists, who argued that such a team should have been constituted earlier to save the life of the endangered species.
“This inquiry after the animal’s death raises serious concerns,” said a local resident. “If the same urgency had been shown earlier, the snow leopard might still be alive today.”
The incident has also raised questions about institutional responsibility. Locals say that despite drawing public funds and salaries specifically meant for wildlife protection, the department failed to act when it mattered most.
They urged the deputy commissioner of Lower Chitral to initiate an independent inquiry into the alleged negligence of the Wildlife Department officials, particularly in light of repeated reports about the snow leopard’s presence.
Meanwhile, the Wildlife Department said it formed an investigation team comprising the SDO and the LSO manager.
The investigation team reached the site and examined the carcass. Initial observations revealed no visible signs of injury or wounds on the leopard’s body; however, it was not possible to give a conclusive opinion regarding the cause of death (whether due to gunshot, disease or any other reason).
The exact cause of death will be determined after the postmortem report. For this purpose, the body of the snow leopard was shifted to Chitral city.
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