Thewildlife ofPakistan comprises a diverseflora andfauna in a wide range of habitats from sea level to high elevation areas in the mountains, including 195mammal, 668bird species and more than 5000 species ofInvertebrates.[1] This diverse composition of the country's fauna is associated with its location in the transitional zone between two majorzoogeographical regions, thePalearctic, and theOriental.[2] The northern regions of Pakistan, which include Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan include portions of twobiodiversity hotspot,Mountains of Central Asia andHimalayas.[3]
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The northern highlands include lower elevation areas ofPotohar andPakistan administered Jammu and Kashmir regions and higher elevation areas embracing the foothills ofHimalayan,Karakorum andHindukush mountain ranges. These areas provide an excellent habitat for wildlife in the form ofalpinegrazing lands, sub-alpinescrub andtemperate forests.
Some of the wildlife species found in northern mountainous areas andPothohar Plateau include thebharal,Eurasian lynx,Himalayan goral,Marco Polo sheep,marmot (inDeosai National Park) andyellow-throated marten and birds species ofchukar partridge,Eurasian eagle-owl,Himalayan monal andHimalayan snowcock and amphibian species ofHimalayan toad andMuree Hills frog.
Threatened species include thesnow leopard,Himalayan brown bear,Indian wolf,rhesus macaque,markhor,Siberian ibex andwhite-bellied musk deer.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]Bird species present arecheer pheasant,peregrine falcon andwestern tragopan.[13]
TheIndus River and its numerous eastern tributaries ofChenab,Ravi,Sutlej,Jhelum,Beas are spread across most ofPunjab. The plain of the Indus continues towards and occupies most of westernSindh. The plains have manyfluvial landforms (includingbars,flood plains,levees,meanders andoxbows) that support various natural biomes including tropical and subtropicaldry andmoist broadleaf forestry as well astropical andxeric shrublands (deserts ofThal andCholistan inPunjab,Nara andThar in Sindh). Thebanks andstream beds of the river system also supportriparian woodlands that exhibit the tree species ofkikar,mulberry andsheesham. Such geographical landforms accompanied by an excellent system ofmonsoon climate provides an excellent ground for diversity of flora and fauna species. However, the plains are equally appealing to humans for agricultural goals and development of civilization.
Some of the non-threatened mammal species includes thenilgai,red fox,golden jackal andwild boar, bird species ofAlexandrine parakeet,barn owl,black kite,myna,hoopoe,Indian peafowl,Indian leopard,red-vented bulbul,rock pigeon,shelduck andshikra, reptile species ofIndian cobra,Indian star tortoise,Sindh krait andyellow monitor and amphibian species ofIndus Valley bullfrog andIndus Valley toad. Some of the threatened mammal species include the,axis deer,blackbuck (in captivity; extinct in wild),hog deer,dholes,Indian pangolin,Punjab urial andSindh ibex, bird species ofwhite-backed vulture and reptile species ofblack pond turtle andgharial.Grey partridge is one of the few birds that can be found in the Cholistan desert.[14]
Mugger crocodiles inhabit theDeh Akro-II Desert Wetland Complex,Nara Desert Wildlife Sanctuary,Chotiari Reservoir andHaleji Lake.[15][16][17]
The western region of Pakistan, most of which is enveloped inBalochistan province, has a complex geography. In mountainous highlands, habitat varies from conifer forests ofdeodar inWaziristan andjuniper inZiarat. Numerous mountain ranges surround the huge lowland plains ofBalochistani Plateau, through which a rather intricate meshwork of seasonal rivers andsalt pans is spread. Deserts are also present, showingxeric shrubland vegetation in the region.Date palms andephedra are common flora varieties in the desert.[18][19][20]
TheBalochistan leopard has been described from this region.[21] Some of the mammal species include thecaracal,Balochistan dormouse,Blanford's fox,dromedary camel,goitered gazelle,Indian crested porcupine,long-eared hedgehog,markhor,ratel, andstriped hyena, bird species ofbearded vulture,houbara bustard andmerlin, reptile species ofleopard gecko andsaw-scaled viper and amphibian species ofBalochistan toad. ThePallas's cat lives in the rocky slopes.[22]
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There are a number of protectedwetlands (underRamsar Convention) in Pakistan. These includeTanda Dam andThanedar Wala inKhyber Pakhtunkhwa,Chashma Barrage,Taunsa Barrage andUchhali Complex inPunjab,Haleji Lake,Hub Dam andKinjhar Lake inSindh,Miani Hor inBalochistan. The wetlands are a habitat for migratory birds such asDalmatian pelicans anddemoiselle crane as well as predatory species ofosprey,common kingfisher,fishing cat andleopard cat near the coast line.Chashma and Taunsa Barrage Dolphin Sanctuary protects the threatenedIndus river dolphins which live infreshwater.
The east half of the coast of Pakistan is located in the south of Sindh province, which features theIndus River Delta and the coast of theGreat Rann of Kutch. The largestsaltwater wetland in Pakistan is the Indus River Delta. Unlike many otherriver deltas, it consists ofclay soil and is veryswampy. The west coast of the Great Rann of Kutch, east to the Indus River Delta and below theTharparkar desert, is one of the few places wheregreater flamingos come to breed. It is also a habitat for endangered species oflesser florican. Unlike the Indus River Delta, this part of the coast is not as swampy and exhibits shrubland vegetation of rather dry thorny shrubs as well as marsh grasses ofApluda andCenchrus.
The vegetation of the Indus River Delta is mainly represented by variousmangrove species andbamboo species. TheIndus River Delta-Arabian Sea mangroves is a focusedecoregion ofWWF. Nearly 95% of the mangroves located in the Indus River Delta are of the speciesAvicennia marina. Very small patches ofCeriops roxburghiana andAegiceras corniculatum are found. These provide nesting grounds forcommon snakehead,giant snakehead,Indus baril and many species ofcatfish likerita. Thehilsa swims up from theArabian Sea to spawn in freshwater. Species that are important to people as food, such as thegolden mahseer and large freshwatershrimp (Macrobrachium species), are part of the abundant aquatic life.
The west half of the Pakistan coast is in the south of Balochistan province. It is also called theMakran coast and exhibits protected sites such asAstola Island andHingol National Park. The three major mangrove plantations of Balochistan coast areMiani Hor,Kalmat Khor andGwatar Bay. Miani Hor is a swampy lagoon on the coast in theLasbela district where the climate is very arid. The sources of fresh water for Miani Hor are the seasonal river of Porali. The nearest river to the other lagoon, Kalmat Khor, is the Basol River. Gawatar, the third site, is an open bay with a mouth almost as wide as its length. Its freshwater source is the Dasht River, the largest seasonal river of Baluchistan. All three bays support mainlyA. marina species of mangrove. Pakistan also plans to rehabilitate mangrove-degraded areas atSonmiani andJiwani in Balochistan.
Along the shores ofAstola andOrmara beaches of Balochistan andHawke's Bay andSandspit beaches of Sindh are nesting sites for five endangered species ofsea turtles:green sea,loggerhead,hawksbill,olive ridley andleatherback.Sea snakes such asyellow-bellied sea snake are also found in thepelagic zone of the sea. The wetlands of Pakistan are also a home to the mugger crocodile who prefer freshwater habitat.
Regionally extinct species in Pakistan include:
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