Javed Kahn
Javed is the country leader of the Snow Leopard Conservation Program Pakistan Chapter, a joint initiative of the International Snow Leopard Trust and WWF-Pakistan. Working undercover, he has learned a great deal about black-market trade routes involving the Snow Leopard and made them public through published reports in collaboration with TRAFFIC. A trained veterinarian and animal scientist, Javed worked in livestock management and rural development issues before his work with Snow Leopard conservation. He has also studied rural development in the Netherlands, and has a great deal of experience with community-participation development programs and conflict management. He has led other projects such as the livestock husbandry initiative and was the course coordinator of a Women Workers training program (1996-2000), the first of its kind in Pakistan. Javed trained 16 females as livestock extension workers in improved animal husbandry practices. A livestock vaccination campaign initiated by him has significantly reduced disease-related livestock losses and he has introduced the concept “good animal husbandry is good for conservation.” Javed enjoys a close working relationship with numerous international and national conservation NGOs, government agencies, and educational institutions. His hobbies include playing cricket, collecting music, and anchoring a local television show.