Hobart launch: introducing Shams Uddin

Name: Codi
Price range: $

Chitral & Gilgit-Baltistan

Shams Uddin is a Nature and wildlife guide in the upper Chitral Valley of northern Pakistan. Shams has been working on a Chiltral Gilgit-Baltistan Field Guide for Kuno, to promote the region's stunning wild places and rare wildlife species. Here, he speaks about his hopes for ecotourism and protection of this precious place.

"Introducing birdwatching as a new nature tourism and conservation avenue for Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan is an important step we have been taking up with Kuno and Dr Phill Pullinger."

Shams Uddin spoke at the Hobart launch

It's a pleasure to share with you the natural, wondrous, breath-taking landscapes and wildlife that makes Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan such an extraordinary part of our planet.

My name is Shams Uddin and I am a resident of Buni, the administrative half of Upper Chitral in northern Pakistan. With 15 years of experience, I have been working as a licensed operator and wildlife guide registered with the Government of Pakistan. For the past years, I have had the privilege of working on a field guide for Kuno, focusing on Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Chitral Landscape Shams Uddin — Chitral Valley. Image: Shams Uddin

Together, we strive to harness the power of ecotourism to conserve the region's invaluable natural resources, particularly its rare wildlife species. These include the brown bear, golden eagle, golden marmot, markhor and ibex, all of which face challenges to their survival in this region.

My work has been supported by Dr Phill Pullinger, CEO and co-founder of Kuno Earth, whose guidance has been instrumental in our conservation efforts. It's important to acknowledge that while northern Pakistan boasts incredible biodiversity, efforts to protect these rare species have yet to gain the momentum they deserve.

Markhor Getty images — Markhor. Image: Getty images

Our population, pesticide use and global warming are key drivers of extinction, habitat loss and the migration of these wildlife species.

Through my collaboration with Kuno, I'm to address these challenges by using ecotourism as a tool for conservation to further this mission. We hope to pursue these next steps to empower local communities and strengthen our efforts to protect the wildlife of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Technology transfer and knowledge integration and combining modern conservation technologies with traditional indigenous knowledge, will yield powerful results in wildlife preservation.

Himalayan ibex Ales Krivec — Ibex. Image: Ales Krivec/Unsplash

Also, offering formal tourism courses to enhance the skills and conservation ethos of field guides, will help facilitate connections between field guides and tourists, through Kuno's network.

Last but not least, introducing birdwatching as a new nature tourism and conservation avenue for Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan is an important step we have been taking up with Kuno and Dr Phill Pullinger.

I thank you all for your attention, your cooperation and support will play a crucial role in safeguarding the rare wildlife of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Brown bear Ali Rizvi — Brown bear. Image: Ali Rizvi/Unsplash

Shams Uddin

Shams Uddin in a wildlife guide and protector from Chitral valley, northern Pakistan.

View profile