| Indus Valley Desert | |
|---|---|
  Indus Valley Desert Location in Pakistan | |
| Naming | |
| Native name | صحرا وادی اندس (Urdu) |
| Geography | |
| Country | Pakistan |
| State | Punjab |
| Coordinates | 31°15′N71°40′E / 31.250°N 71.667°E /31.250; 71.667 |
TheIndus Valley Desert is an almost uninhabiteddesertecoregion of northernPakistan.
The Indus Valley desert covers an area of 19,501 square kilometers (7,529 sq mi) in northwesternPunjab Province between theChenab andIndus rivers. The Indus Valley Desert is drier and less hospitable than thenorthwestern thorn scrub forests that surround it with temperatures ranging from freezing in winter to extremely hot (more than 45 °C (113 °F)) in summer with only 400–600 mm (20–20 in) of rainfall per year.[1]
The desert vegetation is quite varied due to the variety of temperatures withKhejri shrubs being the characteristic species.
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The desert is home to five large mammals:Indian wolf,striped hyena,caracal,Indian leopard and theurial (Ovis orientalis punjabensis) along with many rodents and other mammals. Meanwhile, the 190 species of bird in the desert include thered-necked falcon.
Like the nearbyThar Desert, the Indus Valley desert has little farming or grazing due to its hard climate and therefore the natural habitats are almost intact. A 2017 study estimated approximately 12,176 square kilometers in protected areas.[2]
However, hunting still goes on and is a threat to caracals, wolves and other mammals.
Media related toIndus Valley Desert Ecoregion at Wikimedia Commons