Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards

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Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards
Awarded forDistinguished service by rangers, watchers and wildlife officials in conservation
CountryPakistan
Presented by Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination; Snow Leopard Foundation
First award2024

The Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards are national honours established in 2024 to recognise frontline conservation personnel: rangers, wildlife watchers, game watchers, and forest officers, in Pakistan. [1] The awards highlight exemplary service in wildlife protection, biodiversity conservation, anti-poaching operations and community engagement. In 2025, the programme expanded with additional categories and wider participation. [2]

Contents

Background

The establishment of the awards aligns with international conservation practices that recognise the risks faced by protected-area staff. A 2025 study in the journal PARKS emphasised the importance of acknowledging rangers as conservation ambassadors in Pakistan, particularly in mountainous and remote regions. [3]

Organisation and partners

The awards are organised by the Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination (MoCC&EC) in collaboration with the Snow Leopard Foundation (Pakistan). Supporting partners include the Snow Leopard Trust, the UK Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, and provincial forest and wildlife departments from Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The inaugural ceremony was held on 31 July 2024, World Ranger Day, at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts in Islamabad. [4]

Award categories and selection

The programme features several species-themed categories that symbolise Pakistan's iconic mountain wildlife. Core categories include:

In 2025, a Brown Bear Award was also introduced, and one category was reserved specifically for community recognition. Nominations are reviewed by the National Committee for the Citizen-Ranger Wildlife Protection Programme. [5] [6]

The initiative complements the Citizen Ranger Wildlife Protection Programme, launched by the Snow Leopard Trust in 2024 to empower and recognise field staff across Pakistan's snow leopard range. [7]

Recipients

2024

Six individuals from Gilgit–Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir received the first set of awards:

Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards 2024
AwardRecipientPositionRegion
Snow Leopard AwardSarmad ShafaRange Forest OfficerGilgit–Baltistan
Ibex AwardFaizan Dukhi—Gilgit–Baltistan
Blue Sheep AwardKamaluddinWildlife InspectorGilgit–Baltistan
Markhor AwardSyed Mussadiq Ali ShahWildlife RangerKhyber Pakhtunkhwa
Wolf AwardZahid AhmadDeputy RangerKhyber Pakhtunkhwa
Musk Deer AwardJan Muhammad NasirGame WatcherAzad Jammu and Kashmir

[8] [9]

2025

Seven individuals were selected in 2025:

Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards 2025
AwardRecipientPositionRegion
Snow Leopard Award (national)Muhammad IsmailGame WatcherAzad Jammu and Kashmir
Blue Sheep AwardSher Afghan AliGame InspectorGilgit–Baltistan
Brown Bear AwardMuhammad Raza—Gilgit–Baltistan
Wolf AwardSakhawat AliGame WatcherGilgit–Baltistan
Ibex AwardIsrarullahDeputy RangerKhyber Pakhtunkhwa
Markhor AwardMuhammad SaleemWildlife WatcherKhyber Pakhtunkhwa
Musk Deer AwardMehboob ShahGame WatcherAzad Jammu and Kashmir

[10] [11]

Ceremonies

The 2024 ceremony was held at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts in Islamabad on 31 July, coinciding with World Ranger Day. Speakers included Romina Khurshid Alam, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, Senator Sardar Jamal Khan Leghari, and conservationist Dr Muhammad Ali Nawaz of the Snow Leopard Foundation. [12]

In 2025, the award winners were announced in mid-July, with the formal ceremony again planned for 31 July in Islamabad. [13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards honour collective resolve for biodiversity conservation: Romina". www.app.com.pk. Associated Press of Pakistan. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  2. ↑ "Winners of Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards announced". Dawn . 16 July 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  3. ↑ Aisha, S. (2025). "Challenges and opportunities for ranger conservation in Pakistan" (PDF). PARKS. 31 (1): 45–52. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  4. ↑ "Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards honour collective resolve for biodiversity conservation: Romina". Associated Press of Pakistan. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  5. ↑ "Winners of Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards announced". Dawn . 16 July 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  6. ↑ "Pakistan Television: Winners of Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards 2025". PTV World. 14 July 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  7. ↑ "Snow Leopard Ranger Program expands to Pakistan". Snow Leopard Trust. 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  8. ↑ "Six wildlife protectors get national awards". Dawn. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  9. ↑ "Six wildlife protectors win Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards 2024". Radio Pakistan. 14 July 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  10. ↑ "Winners of Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards announced". Dawn. 16 July 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  11. ↑ "7 individuals selected for 'Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards 2025'". Associated Press of Pakistan. 14 July 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  12. ↑ "Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards honour collective resolve for biodiversity conservation: Romina". Associated Press of Pakistan. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  13. ↑ "Winners of Pakistan Wildlife Protection Awards announced". Dawn . 16 July 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
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