Presented To: Mam IqraPresented By: Qurat-ul-ainRoll No 25 Ammara TehreemRoll No 24Class: BS-Zoology 5th Semester (R) DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL

SCIENCES UNIVERSITY OF SARGODHA

HAZARGANJI CHILTAN NATIONAL PARK

BALOCHISTAN PAKISTAN

Introduction to Hazarganji Chiltan national parkFact file Wild lifeMammalsBirds ReptilesFLORASPECIFICATION

CONTENTS

WINTER VIEW

MEANINGS OF HAZARGANJI

Hazarganji literally means "Of a thousand treasures". In the folds of these mountains, legend has it, that, there are over a thousand treasures buried, reminders of the passage of great armies down the corridors of history. The Bactrian, Scythians, Mongols and then the great migrating hordes of Pashtuns, all passed this way.

Geographical Location

Physical Location 20 south-west of Quetta in the province of BaluchistanTotal Area 15,555 hectares

Date Established

1980

Best Time to Visit March to September

30'17'N-67*13‘E

FACT FILE

The park was established by merging together Hazarganji state Forest and Chiltan stat forest.Habitat include steppes,mountains,scrub forest.

WILD LIFE

This park was primarily establised to provide refuge to the endangered Chiltan wild goat or Markhor. In the 1950s it was said to exceed 1,200, but in November 1970 the population was estimated to number about 200, based on a total count of 107 individuals. At present the total population of the Chiltan wild goat is estimated to be about 800. The Suleiman markhor is also present in the northern part of the Chiltan Range and a few urial still survive on the western slopes between 1,500m and 2,100m. Carnivores include Stripped hyaena and Red fox. 

MAMMALS

Mammals in the park include--Chiltan wildgoat or Markhor (T), Suleiman Markhor (T), Urial sheep (Gad) (V), Indian wolf (R), Stripped hyena (V), Leopard (?), Caracal (?), Jackal (C), Red fox (C), Porcupine (C) and Desert hare (C). 

Note: T=Threatened, V=Vulnerable, R=Rare, C=Common, ?=Unknown.

CHILTAN WILD GOATAPEARANCE

The females of Chiltan Wild Goats are reddish-grey in color with a dark brown mid-dorsal stripe from shoulder to rump and creamy-white legs bearing conspicuous dark brown pattern. The males, as they reach their third or fourth winter, have an increasing amount of white and grey hairs in the mid dorsal and shoulder regions. Some adult males show varying amounts of black hairs on the lower chest or sternum.

DIETThey browse the leaves and bushes as well as small shrubs.

REPRODUCTIONGestation Period=160 daysMid Oct-early April Twins appear to occur quite frequently

THREATS IN WILD

The Chiltan Wild Goat is endemic to Pakistan and is listed as critically endangered in the IUCN Red Data book. Recent population estimates done by WWF-Pakistan in 1997 have put the number of the Chiltan Goat at around 800.

CHILTAN MARKHORAPEARANCE

The Markhor have straight spiral horns. The grizzled light brown to black coat is smooth and short in summer, growing longer and thicker in winter. Males have long hair on the chin, throat, chest, and shanks, while females have smaller fringes. The lower legs have a black and white pattern. The tightly curled, corkscrew-like horns are present in both sexes, starting close together at the head, but spreading towards the tips. In males, they can grow up to 160 cm /64 inches long, and up to 25 cm / 10 inches in females.

HABITATThe Markhor mainly inhabits the sparsely wooded mountainous regions in Northern and Western Pakistan, at an elevation of 600-3,600 m / 1,900-11,500 ft.

DIETGrasses, leaves. The name markhor is derived from the Persian mar, a snake, and khor, eating. This is a very peculiar name, as they are vegetarians, though they have been known to kill snakes. REPRODUCTION

Gestation Period: 135-170 days. Young per Birth: 1 or 2, rarely 3. Sexual Maturity: At 18-30 months.

THREATS IN WILDTHREATENED by IUCN listsince the mid-1980s when fewer than 100 animals were thought to be present. In 1994 the markhor population was estimated to be approximately 700 animals and in 1997 the population was estimated to be approximately 1,300 animals . This population increase has been due to a virtual elimination of unauthorized hunting that has been accomplished through a private conservation initiative, the Torghar Conservation Project (the Project), which was started in 1985.

APEARANCE

The face is generally greyish, the long slender legs and belly are creamy-white and the body fur is a reddish-grey colour. There is no extensive white area in the caudal region. The tail is always the same color as the dorsal hair and lacks any longer hair or terminal tuft. The iris is pale yellowish-grey. The horns in mature rams are angular.HABITAT In Baluchistan and Waziristan, the Urial inhabits

the gentler slopes of the higher mountain ranges and will occur up to 2,750m(9,000ft).

Urial

Reproduction: Gestation Period: 150-180 days. Sexual Maturity: At 4-5 years. Life Span: 10-11 years.

THREATS IN WILD

Around 1900 the Ladakh urial used to be a common animal of northern Pakistan. The total estimated for the Northern Areas for 1993 was 400 - 500 urial.The previous estimated population has now dropped down to 200 - 300 urial in the whole of the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Vulnerable By IUCN Red List.  

STRIPED HYENAS

A large, powerful animal, the striped hyena is covered in pale tan to greyish fur Black stripes slide down its sides in a vertical arrangement, and the face is usually dark with a black throat patch on the underside of the neck. the back is covered by a thick, erectile mane. This mane can be raised to make the hyena look quite large. There is not much difference between the sizes of the male and female.Habitat Striped hyenas inhabit open country, as well as the forests of India and the seashore, scavenging on dead animals which wash up from the sea. The hyenas are mainly active at night, resting by day under protruding rocks.

Prey includes mammalian carrion, as well as the goats, sheep, donkeys, and horses of northern herdsmen, which tends to bring the hyenas into conflict with humans. They will also eat insects, small animals such as mice, and fruit.

DIET

Females tend to come into sexual maturity at about 2-3 yearsusually there are only 2 cubs.

REPRODUCTION

While the striped hyena has no natural predators, it does often come into conflict with humans. Striped hyenas have been known to kill humans, especially children, and they are often poisoned and trapped for preying on livestock. Some of their body parts are also believed to have medicinal value. Striped hyenas have also become endangered through habitat loss.

THREATS IN WILD

INDIAN WOLF\

APEARANCE

Fur colour ranges from greyish-red to reddish-white with black tips. The dark, V-shaped stripe over the shoulders is much more pronounced. Thin fur in summer though the hair on their backs remains long even in summer. The winter coat is long.

HABITATThe distributional range of Indian wolves extends from south of the Himalayas in India and Pakistan, through Afghanistan,

They tend to breed from mid-October to late December. The cubs are born blind with floppy ears and a white mark on their chests which disappears with age.

REPRODUCTION

THREATS IN WILDThe Indian wolf, because it takes children and preys on livestock, has long been hunted, though it is protected as an endangered species In India, wolves are mainly found outside of protected reserves and feed mainly on domestic animals, such as goats or sheep.

DIETIndian wolves typically prey on antelopes, rodents, and hares. . Red deer, wild boar, golden jackal, ibex, fallow deer, and roe deer are also significant food sources

PORCUPINE

APEARANCEAre the third largest members of the rodent family that are covered with spines.A porcupine has about 30,000 spines on its back, sides, and tail. The spines are sharp, stiff hairs. A porcupine uses them for defense. If an enemy attacks, the porcupine strikes with its quilled tail. The quills from a porcupine’s body also stick into the skin of an attacker if it gets too close. When the attacker pulls away, the quills stay stuck to its body. This is very painful for the attacker and can even be deadly.These animals usually live on the ground and can inhabit deserts, grasslands, and forests. They usually sleep during the day, in burrows, rocky crevices, hollow logs, or trees.

HABITAT

They eat shoots, leaves, fruits, grains, and the inner bark of trees. Where numerous, porcupines cause much damage to trees and crops.

DIET

Some porcupines are 'threatened', however most species are abundant and classed as 'Least Concern'.Porcupines are only occasionally eaten in western culture, but are very popular in Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam, where the prominent use of them as a food source has contributed to significant declines in their populations.

Porcupines have no specific breeding season. The average life span of a porcupine is 5 to 7 years in the wild and up to 21 years in captivity.

REPRODUCTION

THREATS IN WILD

CARACAL CAT

The caracal is a medium sized cat Although the caracal is considered a small cat compared to other wild cats, it is among the heaviest and fastest. Caracals have a narrow black line that extends from their eyes to their nose. The colour of their fur ranges from reddish brown, grey to a light sandy colour. The name of this cat comes from the Turkish word 'karakulak' which means 'black ears' and black ears are a characteristic feature of the caracal.

APEARANCE

The caracals habitat is mainly scrubland forests, dry steppes, semi deserts, woodlands and savannas.

Habitat

Caracals are strict carnivores and have very strong jaws. Caracals typically hunt at night during the summer and during the day in colder seasons. They either hunt solitary or paired. Their combination of strength, speed and agility makes the caracal a formidable predator.

Diet

Caracals mate during the whole year. Caracals reach sexual maturity at between 6 - 24 months. The life span of a caracal in the wild is around 12 years and 17 years in captivity.

Reproduction

Caracals are classed as 'Least Concern' by the IUCN. Caracals are sometimes kept as pets and can easily adapt to a human environment. Caracals are often killed for suspected predation on small livestock. They are also hunted for their fur and meat.

THREATS IN WILD

COMMON JACKAL

The Common Jackal has a shorter and heavier appearance and has a sandy coloured coat. Common Jackals are also known as Golden Jackals, Asiatic Jackals and Oriental Jackals.

The Common Jackal is generally found in deserts, steppes and semi-arid deserts

Diet consists of small mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles .Jackals are nocturnal, omnivorous scavengers. With their long legs and curved canine teeth, they are well adapted for hunting. Hunt larger prey such as antelope, gazelles and livestock but normally hunt alone or in pairs.

Habitat

Diet

APEARANCE

Jackals are monogamous, meaning they mate for life. they reach sexual maturity

between 1 and 2 years of age. Jackals have a life span of between 10 and 12 years.

Reproduction

Jackals are not a threatened species and are classed as 'Least Concern' by the IUCN.

THREATS IN WILD

Red Fox

APEARANCE

The red fox has orangish-red fur on its back, sides and head. It has white fur under its neck and on its chest.

APEARANCE

HabitatThe red fox makes its home in wooded areas, prairies and farmland.

The red fox eats a wide variety of foods. It is an omnivore and its diet includes fruits, berries and grasses. It also eats birds and small mammals like squirrels, rabbits and mice

Diet

REPRODUCTION Red foxes breed from late December until the end of March, with most matings taking place in January and February.  Both sexes are sexually mature at 10 months. The red fox has a potential life span of 15 years but few wild foxes survive more than 4 to 6 years.

Adult red foxes have few natural predators. Many carnivorous animals including larger birds of prey may kill the young. Killed for their valuable fur.

THREATS IN WILD

OVER TO AMMARA TEHREEM

Birds

The Houbara Bustard is a small to mid-sized bustard.

The sexes are similar. It breeds in deserts and other very

arid sandy areas and is largely resident within its range.

Two to four eggs are laid on the ground. It hardly ever uses its voice.

This species is omnivorous, taking seeds, insects and other small creatures.

In Pakistan, the Houbara Bustard is regarded as the provincial bird of Balochistan (Pakistan).

Houbara continue to be hunted each year in Pakistan with 25 permits by the government issued for the 2011-12 hunting season, each permit allowing one hundred birds to be hunted by the permit holder.

Griffon Vulture

It is a typical Old World vulture in appearance, with a very white head, very broad wings and short tail feathers.

Like other vultures, it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals which it finds by soaring over open areas, often moving in flocks. It establishes nesting colonies in cliffs that are undisturbed by humans while coverage of open areas and availability of dead animals within dozens of kilometers of these cliffs is high.

The maximum lifespan recorded for the Griffon Vulture is 41.4 years, for a specimen in captivity

Egyptian Vulture

It has appearance, possessing white

plumage with some black feathers in the wings and tail and a yellow to orange face (in which the coloration shifts during breeding seasons).

The Egyptian vulture is usually found nesting on rock ledges.

The estimated world population of Egyptian vultures is between 10,000 and 100,000 individuals, and the number is said to be declining due to poison being entered into the food chain within its range, lead poisoning from gun shots, electrocution by power lines, and disease.

honey buzzard

Honey-buzzards are found throughout the Old World, where they feed on a diet of bees, wasps, and honey, which the birds steal from the hives of the insects.

The female lays two white, brown-spotted eggs per clutch, which are incubated for a period of 30 days.

The honey-buzzard has a pointed, decurved bill, and a unique (among birds of prey) patch between eyes and bill, which is covered with scalelike, rather than large, bristly feathers. It has powerful toes and strong claws.

Laggar FalconThe Laggar Falcon

(Falco jugger) is a mid-sized bird of prey which occurs in the Indian subcontinent from extreme south-east Iran, south-east Afghanistan, Pakistan, through India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and north-west Myanmar.

Near threatend

Conservation Status: Least Concern

PEREGRINE FALCON

Kestrels are most easily distinguished by their typical hunting behaviour which is to hover at a height of around 10–20 metres (33–66 ft) over open country and swoop down on prey, usually small mammals, lizards or large insects. Other falcons are more adapted to active hunting on the wing. In addition, kestrels are notable for usually having much brown in their plumage.

KESTREL

It is a small raptor (26–30 cm long) and like most other Accipiter hawks, this species has short rounded wings and a narrow and somewhat long tail. Adults are whitish on the underside with fine rufous bars while the upperparts are grey. The lower belly is less barred and the thighs are whitish. Males have a red iris while the females have a less red (yellowish orange) iris and brownish upperparts apart from heavier barring on the underparts. The females are slightly larger.

INDIAN SPARROW HAWK

Malefemale

EUROPEAN BEE EATER

This is a bird which breeds in open country in warmer climat. bee-eaters eat insects. especially bees, wasps and hornets  Before eating it removes the sting by repeatedly hitting the insect. It eats some 250 bees daily.

It is the only representative of the nightjar family of birds in most ofEurope and temperate Asia, seldom appearing before the end of April or beginning of May

EUROPEAN NIGHTJAR

This is one of the largest species of typical warblers. The adult males have a plain grey back. The bill is long and pointed and the legs black. The male has a dark grey head, black eye mask and white throat. The iris is white. Females and immatures have a paler head and reddish underparts; their grey back has a brownish tinge. The iris is dark in young birds.

ORPHEAN WARBLER

Blue Rock Thrush breeds in open mountainous areas, usually higher than the breeding zone of the related Common Rock Thrush. The male Blue Rock Thrush sings a clear, melodious call that is similar to, but louder than the call of the Rock Thrush.The Blue Rock Thrush is Malta's national bird and is shown on the Lm 1 coins that was part of the previous currency of the country.

Blue Rock Thrush

This is a medium-large pipit, 16-17.5 cm long, mainly sandy grey above and whitish or pale below.

Long-billed PipitBROWN ROCK PIPIT

Both sexes have distinctively short wings, shorter than those of the more migratoryThe male's song is high and twittering like a Dunnock. Both sexes have a clicking call like stones knocking together

Stonechat

REPTILES

Despite its relatively small size, the saw-scaled viper is considered a dangerous snake, with an aggressive temperament, a lightning-fast strike and powerful venom . The body is tan, greyish or brown in colour, with a row of 30 whitish blotches with dark brown edges running along the back, while the underside is whitish with ...

SAW SCALED VIPER

This large varanid has a snout-vent length 815-900 mm, tail 1230 mm. The dorsum is olive to brown, with dark spottings. Ventrum yellowish, with or without dark spottings, especially under the neck.

MONITOR LIZARD

Russell's Viper

The Russell's viper is one of the most dangerous snakes in all of Asia, accounting for thousands of deaths each year.

Lizards within the genus Uromastyx are fairly large species with prominent spiny tails (

spiny-tailed lizarD

Flora

Wild olivs

Almond

Pistachios

Juniper

wild cherries

wild fig

Tulips

Poppies

Nature lovers, students, scientists and researchers are welcome to visit the park at any time of the year. For overnight stay, accommodation is available at the Forest Department Rest House located five kilometers inside the Park. Park Rangers help the visitors to see animals. Access trails have been developed in the park for visitors. A small museum of  natural history is located near the Park entrance

The Hazarganji Chiltan in Balochistan is relatively small but claims a dramatic scenery of mountains, ravines and precipitous slopes. The park was created to protect the Markhor, or wild goat, but is also known for its colourful flora in spring and summer.

references

 http://www.wildlifeofpakistan.com/ProtectedAreasofPakistan/Hazarganji_NP.htm  http://travelandtours.pk/quetta-and-balochistan/hazarganji-chiltan-national-park.html.