Farzana Perveen^1,, Anzela Khan², Adnan Hussain Shah³

The Himalayan goral, Naemorhedus goral (Hardwicke) (Artiodactyla: Bovidae) is classified as endangered worldwide and vulnerable in Pakistan due to high hunting and trapping pressures. The hunting and trapping pressures on N. goral was determined during 24 May-10 July 2010 in the Pattan and Keyal Valleys, Kohistan, Pakistan. The questionnaires were distributed in 2 valleys, 90 in Pattan with 8 and 75 in Keyal with 7 study sites, respectively. The local people and hunters of the valleys are mostly involved in both farming and livestock. They have the highest numbers of goats and then cows in their livestock. In both valleys, N. gorals are normally docile animals, i.e., they tamed in sites without hunting pressure. The local people and hunters perceived them by direct sightings, fecal materials, sounds and footprints. The animal has not raided their crops; however, people and hunters hunted and trapped them for recreation and food, only few people hunted and trapped for a living. In both valleys, the methods for hunting and trapping were mostly applied of camouflage, whistled by mouth, used of special little yellow dogs. The actual killing methods including gunfire and bullet shoots but injured by pellet bow. In Pattan valley, the local people and hunters have hunting permit but in Keyal, they have not it. They were hunted and trapped an average of 6-10/year/30 persons (a total average of 180-300/year) in Pallas and 6-10/year/23 persons (a total average of 138-230/year) in Keyal. To reduce hunting pressure on N. goral, requires additional well trained wildlife staff to protect and manage the protected areas in Pakistan like Kohistan.

hunting and trapping pressure, Keyal valley, Kohistan, Naemorhedus goral, Pattan valley, vulnerable