Pakistan sprawling over an area of 795,096 sq. kilometers, nearly equal to the combined area of France, Belgium and Britain, had been traditionally the home of a variety of fauna. Almost all the imaginable habitats where species of animals could flourish including high altitudes, dry, arid mountains, forests, plains, deserts, mighty rivers and lakes and finally the long sea coast, are available in Pakistan with their representative fauna. The expansion in agricultural activities and a trend towards industrialisation have affected the natural habitats of the area.

The aquatic fauna, both of the Arabian Sea and fresh water rivers and lakes, is not only extremely rich in variety but also has some of its own unique features. Amongst the 400 or more species of marine fish, the mackerels, tuna, hilsa, snappers, pomfrets, flat fish, sea-breams, eels, sardines, dhotar, threadfin jewfishes, catfishes, carangids, mullets and several other clupeiods are commonly available in our marine waters. Shrimps and lobsters hold very prestigious positions amongst the invertebrates collected from the sea for local consumption as well as for export. At least 28 species of shrimps and lobsters are so far known from the coast of Karachi and Makran. The crabs though not cherished as human food in Pakistan, are extremely abundant on the coast, as well as in shore and off-shore waters of Pakistan. More than 125 species of crabsare known from our coast.

Another fascinating marine form for naturalists on the sandy coasts of Karachi is the green turtle, along-with another related species. This huge-sized species is a migratory form, coming regularly to a small patch of our coast on Sandspit and Hawkes Bay (Karachi) for egg laying. The turtle is one of the endangered species of the world and Sindh Wild Life Management Board is involved in its protection and safe breeding by establishing hatcheries. Thousands of hatchlings in these artificial breeding areas are released manually in the sea every year. Nearly 14 species of marine snakes are known from our part of the Arabian Sea.

Within the last 20 years, two of the world’s largest earth-filled dams have been constructed in Pakistan to hold huge reservoirs of water and they have already become the biggest centers of fishing in the country.

The most important of the 150 or more species of fresh water fish of the rivers and lakes in the plain area are the mahasher, rohu, singhi, thaila, singhari, khagga, and the pride of Sindh, the hilsa. The hilsa migrates from the Arabian Sea up the Indus like salmon of Europe.

At least eight species of fresh water turtles and two of tortoises are known from Pakistan. The crocodiles are on the decline. Six of them are housed in a protected, partially polluted, insufficient reservoir near a shrine at Manghopir (Karachi). Two have been seen in Haleji lake. In wild, the crocodiles are still existing in small numbers in the Indus and its tributaries, with their highest concentration in Nara canal and swamps on its banks, off Khairpur, Sindh.

The most important and internationally unique mammal of fresh water in Pakistan, from faunistic point of view, is the blind Indus Dolphin, now inhabiting the Indus between Sukkur and Guddu Barrages. Their number was assessed to be 346 in 1980.

Reptiles like the lizards and snakes are the master creepers and runners amongst the terrestrial fauna. The most prominent among the 150 species of lizards in Pakistan, are the four species of monitor lizards. The spinney tailed lizard, known as the Uromastix is so cornmon, that in all the colleges and universities, hundreds of students of Zoology regularly dissect this lizard every year, and yet its population remains sizeable. Several colourful species of agamids, geckos, blood suckers, garden lizards, skinks and sand lizards can be easily observed in the plains and mountainous area all over the country.

Not as many snakes possess poison as are dreaded. The arid areas of Sindh and Baluchistan are the home of some of the deadliest poisonous snakes known anywhere in the world. The Indian cobra, monocled cobra, the common krait, the MacMohan’s viper, the Russell’s viper and the saw-scaled viper can be seen with varying frequency. The Indian boas, which are falsely assumed to possess two heads, the Rock python and the reticulated python are some of the larger, but non-poisonous snakes of Pakistan.

Avian fauna of Pakistan has been estimated at over 600 species. By virtue of its water reservoirs, migratory bird fauna is drawn towards Pakistan from far-flung areas of the world like Northern Europe, Scandinavian North Sea, Western Siberia, Caspian Sea, Siberian Kazakastan, Tibet, Eastern Siberia, China, Japan, Manchuria. Alaska and California.

The resident bird fauna of Pakistan is still more diversified and attractive. The pheasants are perhaps the most colourful, apart from being game birds. At least 19 of their species including those of partridges, quails, and hill pheasants are known. The pea fowl has now become rare in the world. Its observation being restricted to a few sightings in Tharparker (Sindh) area. Western horned tragopan, Impeyan mona! pheasant, white crested kaleej pheasant, Chir pheasant and Koklas pheasant are found only in northern hilly areas, whereas black and grey partridges as well as quails are common all over Pakistan. Persian and Northern chukors and sea partridges are added attractions of Pakistan. Several species of bitterns, storks, herons, teals, cranes, water hens, pratincoles, terns, sandgrouses, doves, cuckoos, king fishers, bee eaters, barbets, wood peckers, larks, martins, shrikes, jays, bulbuls, thrushes, warblers, redstarts, tits, grosbeaks, finches and buntings are widely dispersed in our gardens, cultivated fields, streams and hi!! slopes. Among the resident birds of prey are the shikra, sparrow hawk, the buzzards and several species of eagles and vultures.

The houbara bustard, which attracts hundreds of falconeers from Middle East countries every year, is a winter visitor to Pakistan, in the expanse of Cholistan desert, with a small number drifting southwards upto Kirthar National Park. The dwindling numbers of houbara bustard are delivering a loud appeal for mercy to hunters of fun.

Pakistan has a rich and varied mammalian fauna showing relationship to the two great zoogeographical regions of the world, Palearctic in the west, and oriental in the east. Ten of the eighteen mammalian orders are represented in Pakistan. At least 188 species of mammals are described from Pakistan including 63 of rodents, 38 of bats, 25 of hoofed animals, 39 of carnivores, 11 of insectivores, one of pholidota, 3 of primates and 9 of aquatic mammals belonging to cetacea.

The rhesus macaques and the common langur are dwindling in numbers. Since the present national ban on export of wild animals, their population is expected to increase in their habitats in the forested valleys of Azad Kashmir, Kaghan and Swat. The snow leopard and the common leopard are endangered species in Pakistan. Snow leopards are shy animals, inhabitants of high mountains upto to 18,000 ft.

The common leopard is left now probably in the protected areas of national parks only. There are stated to be at least 2-4 resident leopards in Kirthar range in Sindh. The other common but smaller predators in the country are foxes and jackals usually inhabiting plains from coastal areas of lower Sindh to lush green habitats of mountains of more than 5,000 ft. height. Wolves occur over most of northern uplands but have considerably decreased in recent years in Pakistan. Two to three packs are also reported to occur in Kirthar National Park (Sindh). In the natural habitats, ibex and bharal are the main foods of wolves in Chitral and around. The Baluchistan bear is reported to occur in the vicinity of Ziarat, Sibi district, near Khuzdar, and possibly in Waziristan. One or two specimens were seen recently in Kirthar National Park and it is also known to occur in Chitral.

Amongst other carnivores that occur in Pakistan are several species of smaller cats, civets, mongooses, caracal, hyaena, martens, weasels and others. The leopard cat is more common in Punjab, NWFP and Azad Kashmir, all in hilly areas; fishing cat near rivers in Punjab and Sindh; the jungle cat in Jhatpat areas (Baluchistan), the desert cat in Cholistan desert (Punjab), Tharparkar and Kirthar range (Sindh), D.I. Khan (NWFP). The three species of mongooses are quite common in plains areas all over.

There is only one wild equine i.e., the Indian wild ass, found near Rann of Kutch (District Tharparkar, Sindh), which is now rare. There are three sub-species of urial i.e., the shapu, the Baluchistan urial or gad, and the Salt Range urial in Baluchistan. The markhors in Pakistan have suffered considerable persecution in the past and are now much fewer than before.

The Persian wild goat, commonly called the Sindh ibex, is another magnificent example of caprine beauty and agility which occupies the most difficult cliffs of Kirthar range, an area which becomes ‘furnace of heat’ in summer. The true ibex is found in northern areas of Pakistan in Swat, Baltistan and Gilgit ranges. Himalayan tahr with its limited distribution in Hunza and Nagar are rare.

Chinkara or the Indian gazelle possesses a much wider distribution in Pakistan, though it needs special efforts to see them. They are found in all the peripheral, thinly inhabited districts of Sindh and Punjab, whereas the goitered gazelle is restricted to Makran, Nushki and Kalat districts of Baluchistan. It. is also rare and endangered. Black bucks can be seen in a small batch in an enclosed territory in Lal Suhanra National Park in Cholistan Desert of Punjab. Nilgai has deteriorated in numbers, but can still be seen in Chhanga Manga forests of Punjab, or straddling in eastern districts of Punjab, adjoining India. Hog deer is found in many parts of Punjab and Sindh, whereas the barking deer is also found near Islamabad in Margala hills, and along Jhelum valley in Punjab. Musk deer though rare and endangered, like the hog deer, still survives in Swat, Dir, Kaghan and Azad Kashmir valleys.

The game mammals of Pakistan, like the wild animals in general, have suffered seriously before and after 1947, but the recent policies of the Government of Pakistan, guided by the Declaration of Amsterdam issued at the end of First International World Wildlife Fund Congress (Nature and Man) April 27-30, 1967, have helped in creating a reawakening to conserve the animal resources of Pakistan.