ASSIGNMENT

Topic: National Parks of Pakistan

Course Title: Wildlife of Pakistan

Course code: ZOL-670

Submitted to: Respected Mam Dr. Shabana Pervez

Submitted by: Syed Zubair Bukhari

Roll No. 6952

BS Zoology 8th (morning)

Session: 2013-17

Department: Zoology

GC University
Faisalabad
National Parks of Pakistan
Pakistan is one of the few places in the world that possesses all sorts of landscapes.
Pakistan is a land full of mountains, plains, hills, plateaus, glaciers, rivers, coastal areas and
deserts. The combination of all of them makes Pakistan one of the most beautiful places on
Earth.

Definition

“An area of outstanding scenic and natural interest where flora and fauna are protected
and preserved in their natural state. These parks are open to public for recreation, research and
education.”

IUCN definition of National Park

The definition of National Park as approved by IUCN at its meeting held in New Delhi,
India in 1969 is as under:

A National Park is a relatively large area (at least one thousand hectares):

(1) Where one or several ecosystems are not materially altered by human exploitation and
occupation, where plant and animal species, geomorphological sites and habitats are of special
scientific, educative and recreative interest or which contains a natural landscape of great beauty.

(2) Where the highest competent authority of the country has taken steps to prevent or eliminate
as soon as possible, exploitation or occupation in the whole area, and to enforce effectively the
respect of ecological, geomorphological or aesthetic features which have to its establishment.

(3) Where visitors are allowed to enter, under special conditions, for inspirational cultural and
recreative purposes.

In simple words, a National Park may be defined as an area owned by the government
and set aside for the protection and preservation of its outstanding scenery, flora and fauna in
natural state. It is accessible to the public for recreation education and research activities.

The following acts are prohibited under laws in a National Park.

i. Hunting, shooting, trapping, killing or capturing of any wild animal inside or within a
radius of three miles of its boundaries.
ii. Firing of guns or any other acts which may disturb the wildlife or interfere with their
breeding places.
iii. Felling, tapping, burning or in any way damaging or destroying, taking, collecting or
removing any plant or tree therefrom.
 iv. Clearing or breaking up any land for cultivation.
v. Construction of human settlement, roads, highways, railways line or damaging land for
mining or oil and gas exploration.
vi. Polluting water flowing in and through the National Park.

National Park of Federal territory

There is only one National Park in Federal territory.

1. Margalla Hills National Park

This park is the most accessible park in Pakistan due to its close proximity to the national
capital, Islamabad.

Location:
The Margalla Hills National Park comprises of Northern Hill ranges of Federal Capital of
Islamabad. National Park is widely spread at the foothills of Himalayas. It includes the Shakar
Parian Hills and the Rawal Lake.
Date and History of Establishment:
Declared a national park in 1980 under the Islamabad Wildlife Ordinance. Prior to 1960,
much of the area was reserved forest. Subsequently, it was declared a wildlife sanctuary under
the West Pakistan Wildlife Protection Ordinance.
Area: It has an area of 12000 hectares.

Topography:
The topography is rugged, with numerous valleys and many steep and even precipitous
slopes. Its elevation is from 550 m to 1500 m. Some of the rocks of Margalla Hills are as old as 40
million years. It is believed that once these hills were under the sea. Rocks are Jurassic and
Triassic in age. Limestone being characteristic of the Margalla Range. Shales, clays and
sandstones are also present.

Climate:
Lying in the monsoon belt, the area experiences two rainy seasons. Winter rains last
from January until March and summer rains from July until September. Mean annual rainfall is
951 mm. Mean temperatures range from 17°C to 40°C.

Objectives:
The park was setup to provide refugee to the Gray Goral, Barking deer and the Leopard.
Cheer pheasant once found in this area became nearly extinct in 1978. It is now recently being
reintroduced in this park with the help of World Pheasant Association. A Cheer Pheasant hatchery has
been established at Chak Jabri and Dhok Jewan to raise and rear captive Cheer pheasants that
have become extinct in the hills. These are then released into the park.
Vegetation:
The park has a very rich lush green vegetation and is v ery rich in ever green plants. The
principal plant species are bottle brush, Eucalyptus, Dhauloo and Pinus.

Fauna:
 Asiatic leopard, Wild boar, Golden Jackal, Rhesus Monkeys, Leopard cat, Gray Goral
sheep, Barking deer, Chinkara gazelle, Red fox, are some of the mammals found in the
park.
 Birds in the park include vulture, Kaleej pheasant, Cheer pheasant, Grey patridge, Black
patridge Chukor, hawk, eagles and falcons.
 Besides, a number of species of reptiles like the Russell's viper, Indian cobra, Himalayan
pit viper and Saw scaled viper are also found in Margalla Hills Park.
 Amphibians include Himalayan Newts, Toads.
 Fishes include Salmon, Brown trout.

Management
Margalla Hills has been managed by the Capital Development Authority since 1961 when
it was declared a 'green' area. Reserved forests, Rakhs (military grass farms) and Chaks (private
holdings) have since been taken over by the Authority.

Staff:
One deputy director, one assistant director, one veterinary officer, six range officers, 11
foresters, 43 forest guards, approximately 60 permanent laborers and an additional 120 casual
labourers in April-June for fire-control work.

National Parks of Azad Kashmir

2. Machiara National Park

Machiara National Park is one of three globally significant national parks selected for a
Global Environment Facility sponsored project.

Location:
The Machiara National Park (MNP) is located on the right bank of the River Neelum at
about 35 km from Muzaffarabad.
Date and History of Establishment:
Machiara National Park was founded in 1996.
Area:
Machiara National Park (MNP) covers 13,532 hectares of the land.
Topography:
Soils are dark, with a high mineral content, and are capable of supporting good tree
growth despite being shallow.

Climate:
MNP falls in the moist temperate zone with cold winters and deep snow. High peaks
remain covered with snow till June or even longer, giving a splendid background to the lush
green forest vegetation. The mean annual rainfall is 1526 mm, with 85 rainy days per year. The
rainiest month is July with a mean rainfall of 327 mm, while the driest month is November
receiving a mean rainfall of only 35 mm.

Objectives:
It is one of the few sites in which a breeding population of the western Tragopan pheasant
Tragopan melanocephalus, exists. Western Tragopan, with its brilliant red neck and black and
white speckled plumage, is one of the most magnificent pheasants in the world. World Pheasant
Association (WPA) is doing its utmost to save these beautiful pheasants from extinction.

Vegetation:
In the Conifer forest Blue Pine, Fir, Chir Pine, and Deodar exists. In the National Park,
blue pine and fir are the most dominant species of conifer forest. Both vegetation types are
present in different slopes and aspects. Blue Pine is present in the North East side where direct
sunlight falls on the mountainous slope. While Fir is present in the North West side under the
shadow of mountain ridge. Deodar does not cover a large area.

Pastures and grasslands also cover large areas in MNP. Local communities spend their
summer season on those pastures with their livestock due to the shortage of fodder in the
villages. In MNP relatively smaller area is covered with broadleaved forest mixed with conifer
forest. Karkas Cinqana, Akhrot, Bankhor are the main broadleaved species in the area.

October 8, 2005 earthquake destroyed MNP forest very badly. It had a drastic impact
over an extensive area of the forest cover. Approximately 5000-6000 trees were damaged by
earthquake. Affected trees were scattered everywhere.

Fauna:
 Machiara National Park is very rich in biodiversity and is a habitat of hundreds of
important animal species of economic importance, including rare and globally significant
wildlife species of Snow leopard, Brown Bear, and Musk deer.
 Birds include Cheer pheasant and the Himalayan Griffon Vulture (Gyps himalayensis).
The park also harbors some flagship species of birds such as Western Horned Tragopan
(Tragopon melanocephalus).
 Reptiles are Chameleon, Lizards and striped keel back.
 Amphibians are Common frog, toad, narrow mouthed frog.
  Fishes include Rahu, Thila, Carp.

Management: Wildlife and Fisheries Department of Azad Kashmir

National Parks of Sindh

There is only one National Park in Sindh.

3. Kirthar National Park

Kirthar National Park comprises of ravines and low rugged hills upon which the park
spread. These hills are dry but strikingly beautiful. This park has most impressive wildlife of
Sindh, Pakistan’s third largest dam, the Hab dam, the world’s largest fort, Ranikot (the largest
fort in the world and provides a remarkable example of the defence system of the late Muslim
rulers of Sind), centuries old grave yard of Taung period, petrified wood, calcified fossils and
arid land velleys. Rani Kot is about four hours from Karachi via the Super and the Indus
Highways. The park has few lakes, the most famous being the Hum Lake and it is among the
biggest man-made lakes in the country.

The attractions in the park are the 18th century Chaukundi style tombs at Taung and
prehistoric archaeological remains at Koh Tarash. Two rest houses belonging to the Sindh
Wildlife Department are available for tourist accommodation.

Location:
Kirthar National Park is located in the Kirthar Mountains in Karachi and Dadu District in
Sindh. Approximately 1/3 of the park lies in north of Karachi District and 2/3 in Dadu District. It
lies 80 km north of Karachi in the south-west of Sind Province. On west it is bounded by
Balochistan province and on the east by Surjan and Sumbak hill ranges.

Date and History of Establishment:

Kirthar was declared a national park by the Sindh Wildlife Department in 1974. It is the
first of Pakistan's parks to be included in the UN's listing of National Parks of 1975.

Area: Stretches over area of 308,733 hectares.

Topography:
Comprises a number of North-South aligned hill ranges separated by wide, undulating
valleys. Principal geological formations are calcareous. Limestone predominates in the hill
ranges and recent calcareous deposits are common in the valleys. Sandy limestones, shales,
sandy shales and sandstones also occur throughout the range, particularly in the south-west and
lower foothills. Grey sandstones occur together with limestone in the north-east. Underground
water, which has been tapped in many places, tends to be brackish in limestone and fresh in
sandstone formations. The abundance of foraminiferous, echinoid, gastropod and arthropod
fossils is evidence that the Kirthar Range once formed the bed of the Sea. Soils contain
fragments of rocky material, much of which is limestone. They contain about 90% sand and 10%
clay at the surface.

Climate:
Climate There are four climatic seasons: winter (December-March), summer (April-
June), monsoon (July-September) and autumn (October-November). Mean annual precipitation
is 150-200 mm, most rain falling in July and August. Temperatures are often extreme, exceeding
55 oC during most of the summer. Humidity is lowest in summer and highest in the monsoon.
Strong, dry and desiccating winds prevail during much of the year, except in July and August.

The best season to visit the park is from October to February, since in summers it is
scorching hot. However, it is the greenest in August during the monsoons.

Objectives:
This park was primarily established to protect and preserve wild goats and sheeps of
Sindh. The famous wild goat of Sindh, the Sindh ibex, Capra hircus (locally known as Sarah)
whose population was dwindling fast has been restored in this park.

The wild sheep or Gud, Ovis orientalis and Chinkara gazelle have also been raised to a
healthy population in this park.

Vegetation:
 Deciduous xerophytic trees and shrubs form open communities related to soil texture, depth and
physiographic factors. The principal vegetation of the park comprises Devi, Kumbhat, Kirir,Aak,
Kikar, Thuhar, Harnoli and Sanna Makhai.

Fauna:
 The fauna comprises, Sindh ibex, Urial, Chinkara gazelles,  Sind wild goats, Blackbuck
antelopes are kept in enclosures for a reintroduction project at Kirthar National Park. The
rolling valleys and rugged lines of the Kirthar hills form a natural haven for Urial sheep,
Ibex and Chinkara gazelle.
 The bird fauna is equally rich. At least 58 varieties occur in the park. These include
Hoopoe, Shrikes, Wabbler, Wheateater, Kingfisher, Eagles and vultures. Houbara
Bustard is also regular visitor to these valleys.
 Reptiles are represented by Large monitor lizards, Geckos, Chameleons, Turtles,
Tortoises and all the common varieties of poisonous snakes of Singh. There are about
100 mugger in Hab Dam, where there are tentative plans to establish a commercial
crocodile farm.
 Newts, toads.
  A number of species of fish, principally of the carp Cyprinidae family, have been
recorded from the Kirthar Range, eg Brown trout, Cat trout.
Management: It is managed by Sindh Wildlife Department.

National Parks of Punjab

4. Lal Sohanra National Park

Lal Sohanra National Park is situated in Bahawalpur. It is one of the largest national
parks of South Asia having diversity in landscapes. A conspicuous feature of this park is the
variety of ecosystems not found in any other National park of the country. Lal Sohanra has
deserts, forests, ponds, lake and an artificially irrigated forest plantation. It is Pakistan's first
National Park. There is big lake in the center of the park called Patisar Lake, which is ideal for
bird watching.
Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) has 6 A/C bedroom resorts in the
park. The park has few tourist huts, a helipad, an observer tower, camping sites and an
information centre. It also has a play land for children, a small zoo in which the main attractions
are two rhinos from Nepal. The best attraction is the lion safari to see the lions in their natural
habitat from close quarters. One lion with four lionesses roam freely and one can go as close as
the photograph above. But one is not advisable to get out of the vehicle since these lions are wild
and can devour on anything live and close.
Location:
Lal Suhanra National Park is located 32 kilometer northeast of Bahawalpur City along
the Bahawalpur-Bahawalnagar road.
Date and History of Establishment:
Lal Suhanra National Park was declared a national park on 26 October 1972, following
recommendations made by the Wildlife Enquiry Committee in 1971. The Cholistan Desert was
originally preserved as a hunting ground by the Nawabs of the former state of Bahawalpur.
Subsequently, in 1968, it was declared a game reserve.
Area:
Originally, the park comprised an area of 31,368 hectares.

Topography:
The Cholistan Desert is relatively flat and interspersed with sand dunes, some of which
are unstable. It is crossed by the dried-up bed of the Hakra River and features an important
wetland, Patisar Lake. The lake originally built as a storage reservoir, is fed by the Desert Branch
of the Bahawal Canal and also receives excess water from irrigated land nearby. The depth of the
water table (3-12m below ground level) varies directly with the distance from Bahawal Canal.
Soil is predominantly sandy loam, with clay flats between the sand dunes.

Climate:
Climate Conditions are arid, characterized by low sporadic rainfall, hot summers, low
relative humidity, high evaporation rates, strong summer winds and mild winters. There are five
distinct seasons: winter (December-February), spring (March-April), summer (May-October),
autumn (November) and monsoon (July and August). Mean annual precipitation is 214 mm,
mean monthly maximum temperature highest 46 oC in May and mean monthly minimum
temperature lowest -0.2°C in January.

Objective:
The main objective of this park was to save Black buck and Chinkara. Blackbuck became
virtually extinct in the Cholistan Desert. Reintroduction of Blackbuck started in 1970 with the
help of WWF with an initial shipment of 10 animals (seven females and three males) from
Texas. These blackbuck were the descendants of 35 blackbuck presented to Texas in 1940 by the
late Amir of Bahawalpur. Black bucks and Chinkara have been kept in enclosures for save
breeding. For the construction of wire enclosures, wire netting (70 km long and 4 m high) were
donated by the children from Holland on an appeal from the WWF.

Vegetation:
The plantation, which is irrigated by the Desert Branch of the Bahawal Canal, consists
mainly of shisham together with toot, kikar, frash, jal, jand, karir, and jandi. Of the numerous
herbs, khubal and puth kanda are important. Dense stands of kana grow along the margins of
Patisar Lake.

Fauna:
 Mammals include Blackbuck, Chinkara, Nilgai, Caracal cat, Jackals, Hog deer, Indian
rhinoceros Golden Jackal, Red fox, Mongoose and Honey Badger.
 Birds include Houbara Bustards, Herons, Cranes, Peafowls, Black and Grey patridges
and Quails. The Patisar Lake used to support a small population of marbled teal but this
duck has not been seen in the area for many years.
 Reptiles in the park include the monitor lizard, Russell’s viper, Indian cobra, saw scaled
viper, wolf snake and spiny tailed lizard.
 Common frog. Common toad.
 Ray fish, Rohu.
Management: Wildlife and Parks Department, Government of Punjab (Pakistan).

Staff: Comprises an administrator with an office wing of 11 staff, a forestry wing of 71 staff
and a wildlife wing of 12 staff (including one assistant game warden, one game inspector, three
game watchers and two fishery watchers.