Leopards face growing threats across K-P as local residents kill and skin valuable animals.

Leopards in Khyber‑Pakhtunkhwa are facing mounting threats, as local hunters continue to kill and skin them. On July 20, a valuable and rare leopard was shot and killed by residents in Bajaur district. Earlier this year, roles of common leopards were recorded as being killed in Kohat, Swat, Mansehra, Darra Adam Khel and Tirah Valley. The escalation is tied to limited food supplies, forcing leopards into human settlements, and a lack of punitive measures. A young man from Mamund tehsil, bordering Afghanistan, told The Express Tribune that a leopard was brutally killed, its hide was kept by locals, and it was not surrendered to the Wildlife Department. In September 2019, residents of Darra Adam Khel tried to capture a leopard alive, failed, and killed it while taking selfies. July 2020 saw a rare leopard die after entering Kurram district and preying on livestock; tribal hunters shot it after injured dogs attacked it. The Wildlife Department fined the six responsible parties Rs 150,000, but no arrests followed. In March 2023, residents in Tirah Valley killed and discarded several cubs and a rare adult leopard in Shalman area of Landi Kotal. Action remained limited to paperwork, with fines and penalties under the Wildlife Act not effectively enforced. In tribal areas, the department’s limited access and inadequate facilities hamper enforcement. The DFO for the tribal areas, Naveed Ahmed, said the individuals responsible for the Bajaur killing had been identified through photographs and would not be spared. He added the area’s remoteness and lack of communication tools hinder field‑staff contact.