Pilgrim spots rare Persian leopard near Nani Mandir in Balochistan

A pilgrim has spotted a rare Persian leopard near Nani Mandir in Balochistan it emerged on Tuesday.

The unidentified person has posted the spotting video on social media which became viral soon after sharing.

 

Panthera pardus tulliana, also called Anatolian leopard, Persian leopard and Asia Minor leopard, is now considered an endangered species. 

Persian leopards once widespread across Western and Central Asia, currently only occupy a fraction of their historical range.

The population of this rare leopard is threatened by habitat fragmentation due to land use changes, poaching, loss of wild prey species and killing in retaliation for preying on livestock. 

This leopard was located by a pilgrim visiting the temple inside the Hingol National Park along the Balochistan coast.

According to Balochistan’s Chief Conservator Wildlife Sharifudddin Persian leopard is locally known as “phulang” and is native to Hingol National Park. The majestic animal, which is elusive, is rarely sighted in this area. 

A pair of Persian leopards was last spotted in May 2021 in Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park in Balochistan’s Mastung district.