Launch of the Punjab Wildlife Census Project in Lahore, Pakistan

The formal agreement between IUCN and the Punjab Wildlife Department marks a significant milestone in the province’s environmental stewardship. Speaking at the launch, Mr Mudassir Riaz Malik, Director General Wildlife & Parks, Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries Department, Government of the Punjab, stated "Wildlife is not only a symbol of natural beauty but also a cornerstone of ecological balance and sustainable development. It is time for us as a society to unite and take concrete steps for the protection of our wildlife, as their survival is deeply linked with our own."

During the inaugural workshop, Mr Mahmood Akhtar Cheema, Country Representative, IUCN Pakistan, briefed participants on IUCN’s unique three-tier structure—comprising Member organisations, scientific commissions, and the Secretariat. He emphasized the pivotal role of academia in advancing natural resource research, and shared IUCN’s successful collaborations with the international universities. He also underscored IUCN’s commitment to technology-driven conservation solutions.

Mr Asim Jamal, Project Manager for the Punjab Comprehensive Wildlife Project (PCWP), highlighted the pioneering nature of this initiative, "Punjab may be the only province in the region conducting such a scientifically rigorous wildlife survey. The resulting ‘Red Data Book’ will be an essential tool for future conservation planning and policy development."

Mr Mudassir Hassan, Project Head at the Wildlife & Parks, Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries Department, Government of the Punjab shared that the survey will focus on key native species including the urial, chinkara, nilgai, hog deer, Indus dolphin, pangolin, and houbara bustard, among others.

Key presentations were delivered by Ms Fauzia Malik, Programme Coordinator, IUCN Pakistan, and Dr Saeed Abbas, IUCN Red List Expert, who detailed the data collection methodology and its integration with IUCN’s global Red List of Threatened Species.
The two-day inception workshop, held on April 21–22, 2025 in Lahore, served as a platform to finalise survey methodologies and operational plans for the Punjab Wildlife Census.

To ensure oversight and sustained progress, a steering committee has been established under the directive of the Chief Minister of Punjab, comprising renowned wildlife experts and academics from leading institutions.

This survey is expected to inform data-driven policies, reduce human-wildlife conflict, combat illegal hunting, and support the establishment of protected areas—asserting in a new era of conservation for Punjab.

For more information, please contact:

Mr Hammad Saeed
Manager, Communications and Knowledge Management
IUCN Pakistan, Islamabad Country Office
Cell. +92 307 7773801
E-mail: [email protected]