Many animal species facing extinction
Islamabad
With many birds and mammals species facing extinction as four mammals are known to have so far disappeared from Pakistan including the tiger (Panthera tigris), swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli), lion (Panthera leo) and the Indian one-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis).
According to data
Four species are also going to disappear from wildlife list comprising Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus), Indian Wild As$ (Equus hemionus khur) and Hangul (Cervus elaphus hanglu).
When it comes to wildlife, the regions are not divided physically but on the basis of biological assets. In Pakistan, the biological provinces include Pamir-Karakoram Highlands, Himalayan Highlands, Antolia-Iranian desert, Indus Ganges monsoon forest and Thar desert.
Red List of Threatened Animals by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) exposed 37 species and 14 sub-species of internationally threatened or near-threatened mammals that are found in Pakistan. Of these, two are critically endangered, nine endangered, 11 vulnerable, 23 near threatened, five data deficient and one conservation dependent.
The critically endangered mammals are the Balochistan black bear (Ursus tibetanus gedrosianus) and the Chiltan goat (Capra aegagrus chiltanensis). The full list of threatened and near-threatened mammals includes: four species of bats (Chiroptera), two species of primates, three species of dogs (Canidae), three species and two sub-species of cats (Felidae), one species of otter (Mustelidae), and one species and one sub-species of bear (Ursidae).
The data provided by the environment ministry to the National Assembly couples of days back, out of 4,100 mammal species in the world, Pakistan is home to 188, including 25 hoofed animals, including Indus River dolphins, snow leopard, Balochistan bear, Marco Polo sheep, woolly flying squirrel, fin whale, and markhor.
Of a total 8,600 birds species, Pakistans share is of 666 migratory and resident species. Similarly, of 6,500 reptiles, Pakistan has 165 species of which 88 are lizards, 72 snakes, 10 turtles (2 marines) 2 tortoise, 1 crocodile and 1 gavial.
In the category of 2,600 amphibians/fishes, the countrys 14 species include 400 marine fish and 125 fresh water species. In addition, Pakistan is a habitat for 20,000 species of insects/invertebrate of them 700 are marine.
IUCNs list also names three species of cetacean, one species and one sub-species of Artiodactyla, one sub-species of Cervid, 11 species and nine sub- species of Bovidae (antelopes, goats, sheep, etc.), one species of pangolin (Manidae), and seven species of Rodentia.
Twenty-five internationally threatened birds (one critically endangered, two endangered, and 22 vulnerable) and 17 internationally near-threatened birds are found in Pakistan. One critically threatened bird is the lesser florican (Eupodotis indica).
The list showed that ten internationally threatened reptiles occur in Pakistan (three endangered, three vulnerable, three near threatened and one data deficient), but there are no internationally threatened amphibians in Pakistan.
Our concerned officials are taking great pains to collect data and constitute policies for protection of endangered species of birds and mammals. Strict laws are being introduced to prevent illegal hunting across the country, he said.
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