Biodiversity of Balochistan &

Conservation

Mohammad Yahya Musakhel

Provincial Coordinator Balochistan
WWF-Pakistan

Presentation Outline

A birds eye view on the biodiversity of Pakistan

Balochistan; An Overview
Floral diversity in Balochistan
Faunal Diversity in Balochistan
Issues
Recommendations

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 Balochistan: An Overview

Balochistan: An Overview
The land of different Ecological Contrasts
Balochistan occupies 34.7 million ha. Mostly semi
arid and arid high plateau
Topography is the key factor with the greatest
influence on Balochistans natural vegetation.
Elevation ranges from 0 3900+ m
Mostly receive precipitation in winter
60% of the province is desert, rock and gravel
About 2% of the Province is forested, mostly
shrubs

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 Balochistan: An Overview

Five out of ten Endangered eco- systems are

in Balochistan
Home of 1,750 known plant species
Two mammals,6 reptiles, 8 fresh water
fishes, are endemic to Balochistan
Provide traditional route to migratory birds
species including Houbara, Falcons, Cranes,
and other water fowls

Balochistan: An Overview
Species Richness
Class Species in Pakistan Species in
Balochistan
Plants 5700 1750

Mammals 188 71

Birds 666 356

Reptiles 174 96

Amphibians 14 8

Fresh water Fish 625 61

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 Balochistan: An Overview

Protected Areas of Balochistan

National Parks 02
Wildlife sanctuaries 13
Game reserve 06
Community reserves 03
State Forests 613,000(ha)
Protected Forests 220,000(ha)

Balochistan: An Overview
(Forests)

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 Balochistan: An Overview
(WETLANDS)

Balochistan: An Overview
(Desert)

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 Precipitation

Ecological Zones
Tropical Thorn forest Zone
Sub Tropical Broad leaves Evergreen
forest Zone
Dry Temperate Forest Zone
Arid Desert Zone

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 Tropical Thorn forest Zone
Open low forest in which thorny hard
wooded species predominate
Tree species have short boles and low
branching crowns
Usually trees height ranges from 7-10 m.
Usually mixture of Species
Leaves are small

Tropical Thorn forest Zone( Contd)

Majority of Shrubs, Spiny & dwarf Trees

Heavy browsing; by goats & camels
Annual mean Temperature 24-27C
Maximum annual rainfall ranges from
127-400 m.
Soil mostly sandy clay, near hills often
stony

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 Defining
Tropical community
Thorn forest Zone( Contd)

General Floristic
Acacia, Prosopis are strongly represented
Chenopodiaceae often predominate with
several genera mostly Salsola and Haloxylon
Other genera; Calotropis, Capparis, Ziziphus,
Salvadora, Tamarix, Aristida, Euphorbia, Acacia

Tropical Thorn forest Zone

Lasbella

Acacia Sengal (Kour) Timber, Fuel wood

Tamarix aphylla (Ghaz) Timber, Shelter FW
Ziziphus nummularea (Kuner) Edible fruit, FW, Fodder
Artemisia Sp. (Kohi Darna) Medicinal; Fever, Jaundice
Lycium Sp. (Kutuk) Medicinal Internal wounds
Haloxylon Sp. (Laren) Fuel wood, Shelter
Cadaba farinosa (Kotar) Fuel wood

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 Subtropical Broad Leaves Evergreen
Forest Zone

Low forests of branchy trees forming a canopy

Typically filled in with shrubs
Trees and shrubs are mostly thorny & often
small evergreen leaves except Olive,
Pomegranate, Pistacia
Usually little ground cover, but during monsoon
fairly complete cover of grasses

Subtropical Broad Leaves Evergreen Forest

Zone (Contd)

Rainfall Ranges from 250 mm to 750mm/y.

Average mean Temperature 26.6 - 32C
Forest cover low slopes of the hills 500m-2950m
Soil is usually shallow & dry with great variety of
geological formation
Areas fall in this Zone: Zhob, Musakhel,
Barkhan, Kohlo and Wadh

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 Subtropical Broad Leaves Evergreen Forest Zone
(Contd)

General Floristic
Olea ferrugina, Acacia modesta, Pistacia,
Punica, Fraxinus, Dodonaea, Withania,
Rhazya, Nerium, Nannorrhops, Cotonoster

Subtropical Broad Leaves Evergreen Forest

Zone (Musakhel )

Acacia modesta (Palosa) Timber, gum, Fodder, FW

Olea ferrugina (Showan) Timber, Fruit, Tea, FW
Tecomella undulata (Rawdaiwan) Timber,
Ornamental
Pistacia khinjuk (Wana) Gum, Fruit, Timber, FW
Zizipus oxyphylla (Gargool) Fruit, Fencing, Tonic,
FW, FD
Caralluma edulis (Pamanai) Diabetes, Economic
Withania coagulans (Khamazor) body Heat, wounds
Plantago ovata Aspighol) Constipation, economic

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 Dry Temperate Forest Zone

Relatively un-favorable climatic conditions

Canopy; widely spread, free standing, low branching
Considerable shrubs layer
Whole of vegetation is xerophytic
Aromatic shrubs predominate, many are thorny
Grasses are mostly small

Dry Temperate Forest Zone (Contd)

Altitudinal range from 1600 3600+ m
Winter is long and cold
Precipitation is low then 750 mm/y
Soil mostly rocky slopes
Area fall in this zone; Sulaiman Range (Zhob,
Musakhel), Torghar (Killa saifullah), Ziarat, Takatu
& Hazar Gangi (Quetta, Mastung) & Harboi (Kalat).

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 Dry Temperate Forest Zone (Contd)

Floristic:
Pinus gerardiana, P. willichiana, Juniperus
excelsa, predominating
Fraxinus xanthoxyloides, Pistacia, Populus,
Salix, Ficus
In shrubs Seriphedium (Artemisia), Caragna,
Berberis, Ephedra & Rosa are dominated
species.

Arid Desert Zone

The plants are widely spaced
General floristic condition is herbaceous
Extremely variable vegetation; from completely
barren ground to medium density shrubs and tree
cover
Climate is harsh and summer is long
Annual mean rainfall less then 50 to 250mm

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 Arid Desert Zone (Contd)
The land is mainly used for grazing
Tamarix and Haloxylon are predominate
Great variety of geological formation
General Floristic:
Tamarix aphylla, Haloxylon presicum,
Alhaji Sp., Pistacia khinjuk, Euphorbia sp.,
Zizphus Sp.

Arid Desert Zone (Noshki)

Pistacia khinjuk (Gowan) Fruit, Gum, Timber, Econ

Tamarix aphylla (Ghaz) Timber, FD, Shelter
Achillea wilhelmsii (Boi Madran) Multi purpose use Med,
Ferrula asa-foetuda (Hing) Economic, Medicinal
Zygophyllum Sp. (Aalonj) Fodder

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 Faunal Diversity of Balochistan

The Province supports world's largest

surviving population of Chiltan and
Suliman Markhors

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 Balochitan supports three sub-
species of Markhor including Kabul,
Chiltan and Suleman

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 This Province supports sub-
species of Afghan Urial.

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 CHINKARA

Sindh Ibex

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 Refuge to Balochistan Black Bear

Endangered Common leopard found

in the Province

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 Asian Cheetah rediscovered in
Dalbandeen

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 Four species of partridges including Grey,
Black, See- see and Chukar are found
throughout the Province.

WOLF

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 Hawfinch

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 DEMOISELLE CRANE

SIBERIAN CRANE

SHOVELER SAKER FALCON

RUDDY SHELDUCK MALLARD

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 Black Cobra

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 Why Biodiversity is Important?

Human health e.g. trees form oxygen,

clean water for good health, / use for
medicinal purposes
For natural balance of animals, plants,
birds, insects, smaller organisms e.g.
Predator prey relations in the life
systems (ecosystems) e.g. Dragonfly
and mosquito

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 Why Biodiversity is Important?
Protection against natural calamities
like land sliding, floods, sand storms
etc. (Role of forests and grasslands)
Economic benefit (eco-tourism, income
from trophy hunting shared with the
community. This income makes
protection and sustainable
development possible)

Major Issues to Balochistans

Diversity

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 Major Issues

Illicit cutting
Up-rooting and unsustainable utilization
Habitat destruction
Graving of lands of wilderness area
Human population growth and
urbanization
Lack of Baseline data
Lack of research studies

Major Issues

Shrinking habitats because of

Agriculture expansion
Deforestation
Pollution
Monoculture forestation
Drainage of wetlands
Mineral extraction
New-settlements and over-exploitation of
rangelands
Livestock population increasing

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 Recommendations
Detailed baseline surveys
Research studies on threshold level
Regular data collection (Composition, dry
biomass etc).
Sustainable use plan (grazing, marketing,
domestic use)

Recommendations
Mass awareness
Fuel wood & commercial timber production
Networking and sharing of experiences
Re activation of tradition grazing systems
(Pargor/ Rakh)
Non-timber forest products (Medicinal plants)
Promotion of community based conservation
initiatives
Watershed management in catchments areas.

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 Mitigation Efforts
Sustainable Use Specialist Group for
Central Asia
Documentation of Baseline data
Conservation
Rehabilitation of Degraded areas
Trainings and awareness
Land use plans and
Sustainable utilization of economic plants

What Need To Be Done

Integrated approach initiation

Develop political will for conservation

Resource allocation for biodiversity

Conservation of biodiversity along with

development

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 What Need To Be Done

What WE have learned today WE can share it with

our friends, parents and family
Next time WE see a plant, tree, bird, fish, or any
other animal WE must think about the important role
that they play in OUR lives and try to protect it
WE should try to plant more trees, at least one tree
every year
Realize that every drop of water supports all kinds
of life so WE will try to conserve Water
WE should try to generate less waste so that WE
can live a healthy life

Thank you for your kind

attention & patience

Your valuable comments and questions

are welcomed

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