Balochistan is home to a multitude of endangered species; markhor, rare mountain goat species, 106 species of birds, 18 species of mammals, and 125 different species of plants inhabit the region. Now, a rare pair of Persian leopards were spotted at Quetta’s Chiltan National Park, according to Chief Conservator Wildlife Balochistan Sharifuddin Baloch said Thursday.
For the first time in history, a pair of endangered Persian leopards have been spotted near Balochistan’s Koh-e-Chiltan. The Balochistan Forest and Wildlife Department has released pictures of the rare species of the leopard.@LiaquatShahwani#Pakistan #MMNewstv
— MM News TV (@mmnewsdottv) May 20, 2021
What Happened: According to Baloch, the pair of leopards was filmed after assiduous efforts of six months. The wildlife team started to search for the leopards after footprints were found at Mount Chaltan. They also announced that these leopards usually inhabit the rugged and difficult landscapes of valleys rather than deserts.
The Context: The Persian leopard is one of the biggest of the eight recognized subspecies of the leopards, with their total body length, including the tail, can be up to 190cm and their weight up to 70kg. Their habitat is mostly from Iran to Central Asia and Balochistan.