WWF to radio-collar leopards in Pakistan

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The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) plans to radio-collar leopards in Pakistan to monitor them following a spurt in man-animal conflicts.

WWF has joined hands with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa wildlife department to radio-collar leopards in Ayubia National Park.

The collars will aid the conservationists in monitoring the movement and activities of these cats in the region, the Dawn said Friday.

The leopards are endangered today in Pakistan as large-scale developmental projects and increasing human population encroach into their territory.

About a dozen leopards were killed last year after they attacked humans and livestock.

Radio collars have also been used in the country to track leopard's more elusive cousin - the snow leopard - as well as hog deer, falcons and the houbara bustard, a large bird.

The radio collar data will help in the scientific management of the animals.

Conservationists say radio-collaring leopards is not an easy task as they are nocturnal. However, if done successfully, radio-collaring can help boost their conservation efforts.