PESHAWAR: `Mission Awareness Foundation’, an organization working on a voluntary basis for the conservation of wild species in the country, has helped in rescuing two leopard cats from poachers from Karachi.
The two leopard cats were seized last week from Empress Market in Karachi by the Wildlife Department of Sindh and now the felines are shifted to Islamabad for releasing them in Margalla Hills National Park.
“The leopard cats have arrived safely from Karachi by road and now are inside Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) Rescue and Rehabilitation Center,” shares Rina Saeed, Chair IWMB.
“Vets have done check-ups, they will remain in quarantine for a week before releasing into Margalla National Park,” added Rina in her tweet on social media.
“The sale of leopard cats in Karachi Empress Market was first made by MAF by posting the pictures on social media,” claims Fahad Malik, an ardent lover for animals and a passionate conservationist whose awareness messages on social media helps save hundreds of wild species from being poached or killed.
Talking to reporter here on Monday, Fahad informed that his posts on social media especially in a WhatsApp group formed by him in the name of `Save Biodiversity’ diverted the attention of wildlife department officials of Sindh who took notice of the practice and raided the market to arrest the poacher.
Soon after the display of pictures of leopard cats confined in a steel cage, a large number of group members started raising their concerns besides urging the concerned officials to take action and rescue the animals, which Fahad shared with reporter.
We are much thankful to Sindh Wildlife Department for taking prompt action over the incident and rescuing the cats from steel cages, he went on to say.
Fahad said Mission Awareness Foundation is striving at the national level to save wild species by discouraging the practice of illegal wildlife trade.
In this regard, he continued, he also recently applied for registration of MAF for making it more effective in carrying out its operation.
Mission Awareness Foundation has set up teams in different parts of the country and even abroad who also become conservationists after getting aspirations from Fahad Malik’s work for the education of people about the wild species.
People from different parts of the country approach experts in the Mission Awareness Foundation and inform about the presence of different kinds of wild animals in populated areas and get guidance about trapping them and then releasing them in natural habitats.
Malik said he is expanding his work in the whole of the country as volunteers from different cities are approaching him and becoming team members in the conservation and preservation of wild animals and birds.
Fahad Malik said his fondness for wild animals made him an enthusiastic protector of animals and conservationist using social media platforms for the education of masses about wild species.
Apart from his busy schedule of real state business in Lahore, Fahad is regularly giving due time to different groups he has established on Facebook, YouTube, and Whatsapp for wildlife conservation and regularly uploads messages and videos apprising members about different wild species besides operations to rescue trapped animals.
Hundred of thousands of social media users are following the groups founded by Fahad Malik on social media and watch videos showing operations to rescue different wild animals found in populated areas and were later released in natural habitats.
A page created by Fahad Malik on Facebook titled `The Reptile World’ on June 5, 2019, in connection with World Environment Day has attracted around 20,635 followers who all are now serving as `Animal Protectors’ in the country.
Similarly, another page titled Wild Asia, highlighting information about the wildlife of Asia, has 18.1k members who share information on social awareness besides the promotion of conservation activities in the region.
A separate page on Facebook has been set up in the national `Urdu’ language for a better understanding of common people who have less knowledge of English.
The group members, he continued, also keep a check on the plight of wildlife by checking social media to search for pictures uploaded about hunting, illegal keeping, ill-treatment of animals kept in enclosures, etc.