Flora and fauna

:salam2:

Interesting to read thought to share with u all :slight_smile:

The flora and fauna of Pakistan suffer from a number of problems. Pakistan has the second-highest rate of deforestation in the world. This, along with hunting and pollution, is causing adverse effects on the ecosystem. The government has established a large number of protected areas, wildlife sanctuaries, and game reserves to deal with these issues.

The diversity of landscapes and climates in Pakistan allows a wide variety of trees and plants to flourish. The forests range from coniferous alpine and subalpine trees such as spruce, pine and deodar cedar in the extreme northern mountains, through deciduous trees in most of the country (for example the mulberry-like shisham found in the Sulaiman Mountains), to palms such as coconut and date in southern Punjab, southern Balochistan and all of Sindh. The western hills are home to juniper, tamarisk, coarse grasses and scrub plants. Mangrove forests form much of the coastal wetlands along the coast in the south.

Coniferous forests are found at altitudes ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 metres in most of the northern and northwestern highlands. In the xeric regions of Balochistan, date palm and Ephedra are common. In most of Punjab and Sindh, the Indus plains support tropical and subtropical dry and moist broadleaf forestry as well as tropical and xeric shrublands. These forests are mostly of mulberry, acacia, and eucalyptus. About 2.2% or 1,687,000 hectares (16,870 km2) of Pakistan was forested in 2010.

The fauna of Pakistan reflects its varied climates too. Around 668 bird species are found there crows, sparrows, mynas, hawks, falcons, and eagles commonly occur. Palas, Kohistan, has a significant population of Western Tragopan. Many birds sighted in Pakistan are migratory, coming from Europe, Central Asia and India.

**Markhor, Pakistan’s national animal
**
The southern plains are home to mongooses, civets, hares, the Asiatic jackal, the Indian pangolin, the jungle cat and the desert cat. There are mugger crocodiles in the Indus, and wild boar, deer, porcupines and small rodents are common in the surrounding areas. The sandy scrublands of central Pakistan are home to Asiatic jackals, striped hyenas, wildcats and leopards. The lack of vegetative cover, the severe climate and the impact of grazing on the deserts have left wild animals in a precarious position. The chinkara is the only animal that can still be found in significant numbers in Cholistan. A small number of nilgai are found along the Pakistan-India border and in some parts of Cholistan. A wide variety of animals live in the mountainous north, including the Marco Polo sheep, the urial (a subspecies of wild sheep), Markhor and Ibex goats, the Asian black bear and the Himalayan brown bear. Among the rare animals found in the area are the snow leopard, the Asiatic cheetah and the blind Indus river dolphin, of which there are believed to be about 1,100 remaining, protected at the Indus River Dolphin Reserve in Sindh. In total, 174 mammals, 177 reptiles, 22 amphibians, 198 freshwater fish species and 5,000 species of invertebrates (including insects) have been recorded in Pakistan.

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Re: Flora and fauna

Who cares about the F&F! (When there is no value of human life there)! Anyway sad state of affairs everywhere!

Re: Flora and fauna

When everybody start showing carelessness than surely there will be no value for the land and its pplz.

Re: Flora and fauna

Among the disappearing fauna from Karachi are the beer boti (a red colour silky fluffy insect) and squirrels, as well as salamander and "go". The herbs and shrubs are countless as Prosopis juliflora from California has taken over the lands from Acacia indica.

Re: Flora and fauna

One should try and fight to protect all creations, especially those that cannot ask for ones help... those who cannot ask for help are the ones who need protecting the most.

Re: Flora and fauna

The environment of Pakistan is severely degraded. Wild animals are not safe even in the remotest of areas. Hunting and poaching is a huge threat. Hunting is glamourized in Pakistan when the well-to-do pose with dozens of dead birds and animals. Rather than look at a hunted animal and feel pity people want to be the one who shoot it. The Arabs come to Pakistan to decimate the McQueens Bustard and shoot anything else that comes in their way.

Look at Murree, once known for its pine forests but now nearly resembling the arid hills of Balochistan. The rivers are full of household junk and other waste products.

Kirthar National Park in Sindh once may have contained Lion, Tiger, Black Bear, Leopard, Wolf, Striped Hyaena, Wild Ass, Nilgai, Chinkara, Blacbuck, Wild Goat and Wild Sheep. Nowadays Chinkara, Wild Goat, Wild Sheep, Wolf, Hyaena and possibly Leopard still survive. Who needs Africa with these statistics?

Re: Flora and fauna

We need nature reserves over here.

Re: Flora and fauna

No doubt Eiffle tower is an attractive place for the tourist and the revenue generated by its served for their pplz. The drown attacks in Pak especially in those attractive areas destroying the nature beauty which are if seriously considered by the Govt. would be a way to increase huge revenue (as attraction).