Endangered Species Of PAKISTAN

Name :Maira Mohsin (12021561-006)

Assignment Title : Endangered Species OF Pakistan

Endangered species are animals or plants that are soon to die out. This means that once they become extinct, they will never be seen on Earth again. Many animals and plants become endangered and extinct each year.There are many reasons that can cause a species of animals or plants to become endangered, or even extinct

Why are animals becoming endangered

Humans

Pollution

Hunting and Fishing

Exotic Species

Cut down trees Water Pollution People hunt for fun

Animals kill each other

Build Homes Oil Spills People hunt for meat

Animals give each other disease

Build Roads

Throwing trash on the ground

People hunt for fur

Acid Rain Fill in swamps and marshes to build homes

Why Species are becoming Endangered? becoming endangered

Indus River Dolphin:•Is endemic to the lower Indus basin river in Pakistan

•The construction of dams and barrages has severely limited the dolphin’s movement and habitat, as has increasing withdrawal of water for agricultural and industrial use.•Approximately 1,100 of these animals remain in Pakistan.•The WWF has devoted some of their resources to help protect this endangered species.

Markhor (Capra-Falconeri)

•The markhor is found in northeastern Afghanistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Hunza-Nagar Valley, northern and central Pakistan and the disputed territory of Kashmir, southern Tajikistan and southern Uzbekistan. The markhor is most commonly found inhabiting the high-altitude monsoon forests that litter these areas•Today, despite being the national animal of Pakistan, the markhor is considered to be an endangered species with less than 2,500 individuals thought to be left in a few remote areas of the Asian mountains. The decline in markhor population numbers in mainly due to deforestation resulting in the loss of their native habitats

Marco Polo sheep

•The Marco polo sheep (Ovis ammon polii) is a subspecies of argali sheep, named after Marco polo. Their habitat is the mountainous regions of Central Asia. Marco Polo sheep are distinguishable mostly by their large size and spiraling horns•Marco Polo sheep (Ovis ammon) have a scattered distribution in the Karakorum Mountain Range and Hindu Kush. In Pakistan, they are mostly found in the Khunjerab National Park and adjoining areas.

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•The sheep have an endangered status and their numbers have been rapidly decreasing in the last two decades. WWF-P plans to improve the status of Marco Polo sheep through the implementation of the Khunjerab National Park management plan, reduction of grazing pressure in Karchanai Nalla, improvement of watch and ward mechanisms, updating the population statistics, and identification of additional sites where Marco Polo sheep occur.

Snow Leopard: Panthera Ucial•Snow Leopards are exceptional athletes and they can bring down prey almost Their fur is very thick and it is grey in color with brown/black markings. Their markings consist of spots around their neck and lower limbs and rosettes on other parts of their body. These markings help to camouflage them on the rocky slopes so they can sneak up on their prey.

•The bones, skin and organs of large cats are valuable in traditional Asian medicine. Tigers are the preferred species for this purpose, but tigers are so rare that it is almost impossible to find one in the wild so snow leopards are substituted for tigers.  Humans have pushed ever further with their livestock into the snow leopard’s habitat. Overgrazing damages the fragile mountain grasslands, leaving less food for the wild sheep and goats that are the snow leopard’s main prey. With less food for the wild sheep and goats, there become fewer of these animals for the snow leopard.

WWF-P has identified some of the critical habitats of the Snow leopard and now plans to extend its scope of activities by focusing on identifying critical habitats in NWFP, AJK and Northern Areas. The number of Snow leopards killed by grazers will be reduced by raising the awareness of local communities and improving livestock protection, by training and developing the skills of grazer communities.Snow Leopard Project of WWF – Pakistan Getting up-close and personal with the Snow Leopard.

The Blue Whale (Balaenoptera -Musculus)The blue whale is the largest animal on the planet, weighing as much as 200 tons (approximately 33 elephants). The blue whale has a heart the size of a Volkswagen Beetle. Its stomach can hold one ton of krill and it needs to eat about four tons of krill each day. They are the loudest animals on Earth and are even louder than a jet engine. Their calls reach 188 decibels, while a jet reaches 140 decibels. Their low frequency whistle can be heard for hundreds of miles and is probably used to attract other blue whales. Whale population is dwindling because of whaling, accidental collision with ships, and due to global warming.

Fishing Cat:•Fishing cats range from about 25 pounds for males to about 15 pounds for females. Head and body length is 25 to 34 inches. These cats have a long, stocky body, relatively short legs, a broad head, round ears, and a short tail. Their olive-gray fur has black stripes and rows of black spots. They are strongly tied to densely vegetated areas near water, in marshes, mangroves, rivers, and streams in Pakistan. The fishing cat’s diet includes birds, small mammals, snakes, snails, and fish. The cat attracts fish by lightly tapping the water's surface with its paw, mimicking insect movements. Then, it dives into the water to catch the fish. Fishing cats are listed as endangered on the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species. They are threatened by habitat loss and hunting for food and fur. People have drained many wetland areas to make room for farmland and roads. Pollution from industries has poisoned rivers and streams where fishing cats once fed. However, fishing cats appear to do well in suburban habitats, so they may prove adaptable to human activities that some other species

Baluchistan Black Bear:Type of Asiatic bear and sub species of the Asian Black Bear,  Baluchistan bear is also referred to as the “moon bear” due to a crescent-shaped chest mark. These solitary bears live in forest habitats and can weigh over 300 pounds. Overall it is also smaller than the other subspecies and is more varential and may be from reddish-orange to deep black. The Baluchistan bear is found only in the province of Baluchistan in southwest Pakistan and in southeastern Iran.Unfortunately these are yet another species of mammals that now face extinction due to deforestation, loss of habitat and excessive killing in fights for fun by local landlords. Those that survive are threatened by hunting due to demand for the bears’ parts by practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine. 

White Headed Duck: (Oxyura leucocephala)

•The White-headed Duck is a small stiff-tailed duck. Adult males have a grey and reddish body, a blue bill and a largely white head with a black cap and neck. Adult females have a grey-brown body with a white face and a darker bill, cap and a cheek stripe.•White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala is a globally endangered species, and its population have largely decreased in the last century. The wetlands of northern Pakistan are the main non-breeding "wintering" ground for the South Asian population. Main threat to the White-headed Duck population in Pakistan is the habitat loss. The shallow wetlands occupied by the duck fluctuate naturallywith climatic conditions such as rainfall. The intensity of rainfall and the amount of run- off determine the well being of the wetlands. Failure of rainfall in recent years has adversely affected the wetlands and their extent has greatly been reduced. Hunting is not allowed on these lakes but instances of illegal•hunting and poaching are reported but hunting/ poaching of White-headed Duck has however not been reported in recent years. The duck could however, also be hunted on its way without being specifically targeted. Disturbances caused by fisheries operations at Khabekki, Nammal and Kharal; recreational activities at Kallar-Kahar; and boating op•Habitat improvement works like afforestation be carried out on priority basis in the watershed areas to prevent silting of the lakes and expected habitat loss.Local communities are required to be trained in efficient use of local fuels to minimize losses to the vegetation cover of the area.• 

Green Turtles:The Green Turtle is the second largest species of marine turtle family after the Leatherback turtle. It can grow up to 3.5 feet in carapace size, and could be as heavy as 180 kilogram. In Pakistan, Green Turtle nests for eggs on Sand spit and Hawks-bay beaches (Karachi) throughout the year with a remarkable apex from September to January. Every year, an average of 800 nests has been observed at beaches of Karachi, besides some coastal areas of the Baluchistan province. However, the Green Turtles are facing extinction all over the world due to low growth rate and environmental constraints.  

The Marine Turtle Project in Pakistan is the last hope for the survival of Green Turtles in our region. Though, the population of turtles has not been increased so far, however it has been sustained to an extent that the Green Turtle can still be seen nesting at the beaches of Karachi. If the project was not there, our next generation would have never known how the Green Turtle looked like. Our national heritage of biological diversity is an invaluable and irreplaceable resource. Our quality of life and that of future generations depends on our preservation of plant and animal species. More knowledge of complete ecosystems can help us to better understand, and protect, the requirements of all life--including the human species. Endangered means there’s still time, but extinction is forever.