Livestock insurance introduced in Galiyat amid rising human-wildlife conflict

WWF-Pakistan and Jubilee General Insurance have launched a livestock insurance scheme in Galiyat to financially protect herders whose animals are lost to common leopard and other wild predators

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Apr, 2026) WWF-Pakistan and Jubilee General Insurance have launched a livestock insurance scheme in Galiyat to financially protect herders whose animals are lost to common leopard and other wild predators.

The initiative responds to growing conflict in mountain landscapes where livestock losses continue to fuel retaliatory killings of wildlife.

According to WWF-Pakistan’s situation analysis, buffer zones around protected areas in Ayubia National Park (KP), Machiara National Park (AJK) and Khunjerab National Park (GB) face the highest levels of depredation.

In Khunjerab alone, 499 livestock depredation cases were reported in 2023, while six snow leopards were killed in retaliation between 2015 and 2023.

Under the pilot scheme, livestock owners in Galiyat will receive compensation for verified losses, helping reduce economic pressure on vulnerable households while discouraging revenge killing of wildlife.

“Human-wildlife conflict is no longer only a conservation issue; it is a livelihood challenge for rural communities and a direct threat to endangered species. This insurance model offers a practical solution that protects both people and wildlife and can serve as a model for other conflict-prone regions of Pakistan,” said Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General, WWF-Pakistan.

“At Jubilee General Insurance, we are committed to driving impact beyond financial protection by supporting sustainable and inclusive solutions. Our collaboration with WWF-Pakistan brings together conservation and risk management to address a critical challenge, said Azfar Arshad, MD & CEO, Jubilee General Insurance.

By safeguarding livelihoods, we are also helping in protection of endangered species, demonstrating the role insurance can play in advancing broader environmental and social objectives, Azfar added.

The scheme has been developed in consultation with local communities and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department with animal tagging launched as part of the monitoring mechanism.

The Village Conservation Committee and the Park Conservation Committee, established by the KP Wildlife Department, will effectively implement the project.

WWF-Pakistan says the model is intended for expansion to other high-conflict landscapes across Pakistan where predators such as common leopards and snow leopards continue to come into contact with livestock.