Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park

Hazarganji Chiltan National Park is a national park in the Mastung District of western Balochistan Province of Pakistan. It lies between Chiltan on its west and Hazarganji on the east. The park was established in 1980 to provide the habitat to rare Chiltan ibexes found in the area.[1]

Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park
ہزارگنجی-چلٹن نیشنل پارک
IUCN category II (national park)
Location of Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park
LocationBalochistan
Nearest cityQuetta
Coordinates30°13′12″N 66°43′48″E
Area15,555 ha (60.06 sq mi)
Established1980
Governing bodyBalochistan Wildlife Department

It was established in 1980 and covers 325,000 acre of land located close to the Koh-i-Chiltan mountain in Quetta's outskirt.[2]

The park is located in the Sulaiman Mountains, with desert and forest habitats, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of the city of Quetta.

Etymology

The name comes from the travelling route between the mountains called "Hazarganji", which means (of a thousand treasures) in native language as it was a historical passage for the Greco-Bactrian, the Mongols, the Scythians and migrating hordes of Baloch tribes.[3]

Biodiversity

The biodiversity of this park comprises 30 species of mammals (9 species of large mammals and 21 species of small mammals), 120 species of avifauna (36 resident and 84 migratory) and 30 species of reptiles.[1]

Flora

The trees in the forests include Pashtun Juniper (Juniperus macropoda), pistachio, almond, and ash trees.

Fauna

The fauna comprises about 300-400 rare Sulaiman Markhor and around 800 Chiltan ibex survive within the park boundaries.[2] Few urials still survives in the western slopes between 1,500m to 2,100m. Other fauna includes Indian wolf, striped hyena, Baluchistan leopard, caracal, common jackal and Indian crested porcupine. Birds includes the very rare Houbara bustard, griffon vulture, Egyptian vulture, crested honey buzzard (winters only), laggar falcon, peregrine falcon, common kestrel, Eurasian sparrowhawk (winters only), Indian scops owl, Indian cuckoo, European bee-eater (breeding only), chukar partridge, European nightjar (breeding/summer only), long-billed pipit, Eastern Orphean warbler, variable wheatear, blue rock thrush, whinchat, white-browed bush chat and Lichtenstein's desert finch and reptiles are also found here likes of monitor lizards, Russell's viper, saw-scaled vipers and spiny-tailed lizards.[3]

Species

Mammals

Total 30 species of mammals include:[3]

Name of animal Scientific name Distribution
Afghan hedgehogHemiechinus auritus megalotisChiltan, Hazarganji, Kharkhasa
Brandt's hedgehogParaechinus hypomelasHazarganji, Kharkhasa
Balochistan short-tailed shrewCrocidura gmeliniChiltan, Hazarganji, Kharkhasa
Zarudny's rock shrewCrocidura zarudnyiHazarganji, Kharkhasa
Greater horseshoe batRhinolophus ferrumequinumHazarganji
Indian wolfCanis lupus pallipesChiltan, Hazarganji
Asiatic jackalCanis aureusChiltan, Hazarganji, Kharkhasa
Red foxVulpes vulpesBibi Nala, Chiltan, Duzchur, Hazarganji, Hinjeeri Nala, Ziarat Nala
CaracalCaracal caracalChiltan, Hazarganji, Kharkhasa
Jungle catFelis chausChiltan, Hazarganji, Hazarganji Reserve forest, Kharkhasa
Beech martenMartes foinaChiltan, Hazarganji, Hazarganji Reserve forest, Kharkhasa
Marbled polecatVormela peregusnaHazarganji, Kharkhasa
Striped hyenaHyaena hyaenaChiltan, Hazarganji, Kharkhasa
Chiltan ibexCapra aegagrus chialtanensisAll over the park
Cape hareLepus capensisBibi Nala, Hazarganji, Ziarat Nala
Afghan pikaOchotona rufescensHazarganji Reserve forest
Grey dwarf hamsterCricetulus migratoriusChiltan, Hazarganji
Baluchi mouse-like hamsterCalomyscus baluchiChiltan, Hazarganji, Kharkhasa
Small five-toed jerboaAllactaga elaterChiltan Hills, Hazarganji
Forest dormouseDryomys nitedulaChiltan Reserve forest, Hazarganji, Kharkhasa
Indian crested porcupineHystrix indicaChiltan, Hazarganji (1,800–2,500m)
Sundevall's jirdMeriones crassusChiltan, Hazarganji
Persian jirdMeriones persicusChiltan, Hazarganji
Libyan jirdMeriones libycusChiltan, Hazarganji
Southern mole voleEllobius fuscocapillusChiltan, Hazargani (1,900–2,400m)
Brown spiny mouseMus saxicolaChiltan, Hazarganji
Black ratRattus rattusMuseum and rest-house
Sand-colored soft-furred ratMillardia gleadowiHazarganji
House mouseMus musculusChiltan, Hazarganji
Indian bandicoot ratNesokia indicaBibi Nala, Hazarganji, Hinjeeri Nala, Ziarat Nala

Avifauna
Name of animal Scientific name Distribution Type
ShikraAccipiter badiusNear rest-houseWV/SBV
Eurasian sparrowhawkAccipiter nisusChiltan, HazarganjiSBV
Black kiteMilvus migransChiltan, HazarganjiSBV
Golden eagleAquila chrysaetosSamtharR/WV
Tawny eagleAquila rapaxChiltan, HazarganjiR
Bonelli's eagleHieraaetus fasciatusHazarganji, KharkhasaR
Short-toed snake eagleCircaetus gallicusChiltan, Hazarganji, KharkhasaR
Bearded vultureGypaetus barbatusChiltan, HazarganjiWV/R
Griffon vultureGyps fulvusChiltanR
Egyptian vultureNeophron percnopterusChiltanSBV
Cinereous vultureAegypius monachusChiltanSBV/WV
Long-legged buzzardButeo rufinus Chiltan, Hazarganji, KharkhasaWV
Hen harrierCircus cyaneusChiltan ForestR/WV
Common kestrelFalco tinnunculusChiltan, HazarganjiR/WV
Eurasian hobbyFalco subbuteoChiltan, KharkhasaWV
Saker falconFalco cherrugBibi Nala, KharkhasaWV
Peregrine falconFalco peregrinusChiltan, HazarganjiSBV/WV
MerlinFalco columbariusChiltan, HazarganjiSBV/WV
See-see partridgeAmmoperdix griseogularisBibi NalaR
Chukar partridgeAlectoris chukarKangri NalaR
Houbara bustardChlamydotis undulataHazarganji, Ziarat NalaWV/PM
White-tailed lapwingChettusia leucuraChiltan, HazarganjiPM/SBV
Spotted sandgrousePterocles senegallusHazarganjiPM/WV
Rock doveColumba liviaBibi Nala, Hinjeeri Nala, Nulli NalaR
Common wood pigeonColumba palumbusBibi Nala, Hinjeeri Nala, Nulli NalaR
European turtle doveStreptopelia turturHazarganji NalaWV
Eurasian collared doveStreptopelia decaoctoHazarganji NalaR/SBV
Laughing doveSpilopelia senegalensisRest-houseR/SBV
Rose-ringed parakeetPsittacula krameriChiltan, HazarganjiSBV
Common cuckooCuculus canorusHazarganji, KharkhasaSB
Spotted owletAthene bramaBibi Nala, ChiltanR
Eurasian eagle-owlBubo buboKharkhasaR
Eurasian scops owlOtus scopsHazarganji, Ziarat NalaSBV
Pallid scops owlOtus bruceiChiltan, Hazarganji, KharkhasaSBV
European nightjarCaprimulgus europaeusKharkhasaSBV/WV
Common swiftApus apusChiltan, HazarganjiSBV
Little swiftApus affinisHazarganjiSBV
Alpine swiftApus melbaChiltan Forest, KharkhasaSBV
European bee-eaterMerops apiasterNear rest-houseSBV
Green bee-eaterMerops orientalisHazarganjiSBV
Eurasian hoopoeUpupa epopsStream bed of ChiltanSBV
Scaly-bellied woodpeckerPicus squamatusChiltan, HazarganjiR
Hume's short-toed larkCalandrella acutirostrisChiltanSBV
Greater short-toed larkCalandrella brachydactylaChiltan ForestWV
Oriental skylarkAlauda gulgulaHazarganjiR
Great Grey ShrikeLanius excubitorChiltan, HazarganjiWV
lesser whitethroatSylvia currucaChiltan, HazarganjiWV
Bay-Backed ShrikeLanius vittatusChiltan, HazarganjiWV
Eurasian skylarkAlauda arvensisChiltan Reserve forest, HazarganjiWV

Chiltan express

This train used to have a Quetta-Lahore route via Dera Ghazi Khan and Kot Adu Jn. This route opened in 1973, hence the Chiltan Express likely started operations on or after that year. Over the years the route of the Chiltan Express has been varied many times by running it between Quetta and Peshawar via Faisalabad, between Quetta and Rawalpindi via Lahore, and these days between Quetta and Lahore via Faisalabad.

References
  1. "Studies on Bioecology and Fauna of Hazarganji Chiltan National Park and Development of Ecotourism in Protected Areas" (PDF). Research Gate. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  2. Shah, Syed Ali (4 April 2017). "Quetta authorities thwart attempt to occupy Hazarganji national park". Dawn. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  3. "Hazarganji Chiltan National Park". Wildlife of Pakistan. Wildlife of Pakistan. Retrieved September 24, 2018.


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