Summary A livestock insurance scheme in Galiyat will compensate farmers for wildlife losses, aiming to reduce human-wildlife conflict and protect endangered species like snow leopards.
GALIYAT (Web Desk) – A new livestock insurance scheme has been introduced in Galiyat to provide financial protection to farmers facing losses caused by wild animal attacks.
The initiative has been jointly launched by WWF Pakistan and Jubilee General Insurance, aiming to compensate farmers for livestock killed by predators such as leopards and other carnivores.
Under the scheme, verified losses will be compensated promptly, reducing the economic burden on rural communities and discouraging retaliatory killing of endangered wildlife. The programme is also expected to play a key role in reducing human-wildlife conflict in vulnerable regions.
Areas including Ayubia National Park and Khunjerab National Park have been identified among the most affected zones, where farmers frequently suffer livestock losses due to predator attacks.
According to a report, as many as 499 livestock deaths were recorded in Khunjerab in 2023 alone. Between 2015 and 2023, six snow leopards were also killed, often in retaliation for livestock losses.
Officials say the new insurance model will help curb such incidents by ensuring farmers receive timely financial compensation, thereby protecting both livelihoods and endangered species.
The scheme will also introduce animal tagging and monitoring systems to improve tracking and verification processes. Local communities and wildlife departments will be actively involved in implementation to ensure transparency and efficiency.
A spokesperson for WWF noted that the model could be expanded to other parts of the country if proven successful, offering a sustainable solution to ongoing human-wildlife conflicts.
