This landmark event was organized by the team of Dr. Muhammad Kabir, a PeLeWG member from the Wildlife Ecology Lab of the University of Haripur, on International Leopard Day of May 3, 2025 in Ayubia National Park. It was part of the project of the same title which was funded by Global Leopard Conference under guidance from the PeLeWG. This event honored the majestic Persian leopard – a symbol of wilderness and ecological harmony – while emphasizing the crucial role of women in conservation efforts across Pakistan’s mountainous regions. Students, educators, conservationists, park visitors, rangers and local women, with a total of 60-70 participants, have come together to share a mission to promote human-wildlife coexistence.  

The leopard population in Ayubia National Park and its surroundings is the largest in Pakistan, numbering 16-20 individuals. Over the decades, poor land management practices such as fuel wood harvesting, encroachment and urbanization have led to deforestation, climate change and water crisis, thus threatening local livelihoods along with the region’s biodiversity. Several iconic species, such as the Asiatic black bear, grey goral and Himalayan monal pheasant have already disappeared in this protected area, and the leopard may follow them unless awareness-raising and conservation efforts are urgently undertaken.  

The goal of this event was to break traditional barriers and acknowledge that women are powerful agents of change through their deep connection to nature and an integral role they play in local communities. It was marked by student speeches, an art workshop of leopard drawings and paintings, field trips to leopard habitats and camera-trap sites, and an informal meeting with Wildlife Department officials. Empowering Guardians was more than a regular event – it was a movement to launch gender-inclusive and community-driven solutions along with building bridges between scientific knowledge and grassroot empowerment. By celebrating the voices of women, inspiring the youth, and blending scientific knowledge with traditional wisdom, this initiative laid the foundation for a future where leopards would peacefully co-exist with local people for mutual benefits.