Marco Polo sheep, a magnificent species once abundant in the Khunjerab Pass region, were almost wiped out. They now appear to be recovering thanks to efforts by WWF to develop sound management practices that respect the rights of local communities and involve them in decision making. Efforts in this park may point the way ahead for parks in the rest of Pakistan. The local staff is largely under-equipped and untrained. The DKNP operates more as a bureaucracy with administrative headquarters in Gilgit.
Wildlife protection is the responsibility of villagers living near the park.
Central Karakoram National Park Established in 1993 in response to growing environmental pressure on Baltistan's once pristine Baltoro Glacier, this park also includes the Biafo and Hispar glaciers and their tributaries. On the Baltoro Glacier, the accumulation of military hardware and debris from the long-simmering conflict with India remains a problem. Management plans have yet to be developed and time will tell if the park can avoid repeating the same problems that have plagued other parks. The Hundrup River is a world-class trout stream and the Shandur Pass is the site of an annual polo tournament extravaganza. The area was declared a park in an attempt to control the merrymakers at the polo tournament, who were not inclined to clean up their mess.