Khunjerab National Park

Khunjerab National Park (Urdu: خنجراب نیشنل پارک‎) is a national park in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan.[1] Khunjerab National Park is Pakistan's third largest national park, and is adjacent to the Taxkorgan Natural Reserve in China.

Khunjerab National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
Khunjerab National Park is established adjacent to Taxkorgan Natural Reserve, China
LocationHunza District, Karakoram, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Coordinates36°35′13.21″N 75°23′59.5″E
Area2,269.13 km2 (876.12 sq mi)
Elevation17,000 ft (5,200 m)
Established1975
Visitors250000

Etymology

Khun means "blood" and jerav means "to stream" in Wakhi, the native language of the region.

History

Khunjerab National Park was established primarily as a means to protect the Marco Polo sheep (as well as snow leopards and bharal) living in the area.[2] The borders of the park were mapped by Schaller in 1974, after a short field survey. The park was formally established on 29 April 1975 by Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who said that "it must become a world famous park".[3]

Khunjerab Pass is close to the national park's northwest corner

Despite being listed as a category 2 national park, banning human activities including agriculture and hunting, the park was poorly managed, meaning that illegal hunting of the Marco Polo sheep continued. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature commissioned Norwegian biologist Per Wegge to do a wildlife survey of the park in 1988.[4] Wegge found that there was no evidence of competition between the domestic sheep being illegally grazed and the wild Marco Polo sheep, and that most of the illegal hunting was not being done by local Wakhi residents.[4] He therefore proposed that the park be reclassified, allowing grazing and commercial hunting, with the profits going to local residents. However, the government overlooked Wegge's suggestions, instead drawing up a new management plan, which both the IUCN and the World Wildlife Fund supported as a means to preserve the park and protect the wildlife. Wegge was critical of the government scheme, claiming that it was based on financial considerations, with the Pakistani government hoping to attract tourists to the area. The IUCN agreed with this, and has since distanced itself from the national park.[5] To help protect the animals from poaching, the WWF has created the Khunzerav Village Organization, which relies on people living in the area to report poaching or endangered animal sightings.[6] This park was created on 29 April 1975 on the recommendation of wildlife biologist Dr. George Schaller. Over half of the park is above 4,000 m. Khunjerab Pass, the gateway to China via the Karakoram Highway, is at 4,934 m.

Wildlife

The primary purpose of this park was to provide protection to the endangered Marco Polo sheep, which is only found in this area in Pakistan. According to the Mir of Hunza, the population of sheep was around 400 but had dropped to below 180 by the time of the completion of the Karakoram Highway. A herd of almost 75 Marco Polo sheep was recorded in the spring of 1984 and park staff saw at least 50 crossing the pass in May 1989.

The park is also famous for its snow leopards. Some reports say that it might contain the highest density of these beautiful cats in the total Himalayan ecosystem, which is the natural habitat of these cats. Over 2,000 Siberian ibex, widely distributed and abundant in the park but absent from neighbouring China, are also present here.

Mammals

Total species: 16. Mammals in the park include:

Name of animal Scientific name Status Pictures
Snow leopardPanther unciaThreatened
Himalayan ibexCapra ibex sibiricaLeast concern
Himalayan brown bearUrsus arctos isabellinus Threatened
Red foxVulpes vulpesLeast concern
Tibetan wolfCanis lupus filchneriThreatened
Blue sheepPseudois nayaurVulnerable (Shimshal are only)
Marco Polo sheepOvis ammon poliiThreatened
Western kiangE. k. kiangUnconfirmed
Fergana stoatM. e. ferghanaeLeast concern
Mountain weaselMustela altaicaUnconfirmed
Beech martenMartes foinaLeast concern
Long-tailed marmotMarmota caudataLeast concern
Eurasian lynxlynx lynxUnconfirmed
Large-eared pikaOchotona macrotisLeast concern
DholeCuon alpinusUnconfirmed
Cape hareLepus capensisLeast concern
Wood mouseApodemus sylvaticusLeast concern
Royle's mountain voleAlticola royleiNear threatened
Asian house shrewSuncus murinusLeast concern
Etruscan shrewSuncus etruscusLeast concern
Grey dwarf hamsterCricetulus migratorius Least concern

Birds
Name of bird Scientific name Pictures
Bearded vultureGypaetus barbatus
Golden eagleAquila chrysaetos
Himalayan vultureGyps himalayensis
Cenreous vultureAegypius monachus
Western marsh harrierCircus aeruginosus
Eurasian sparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
Eurasian kestrelFalco tinnunculus
Lesser kestrelFalco naumanni
Saker falconFalco cherrug
Peregrine falconFalco peregrinus
Himalayan snowcockTetraogallus himalayensis
Chukar partridgeAlectoris chukar
Grey heronArdea cinerea
Common sandpiperActitis hypoleucos
Hill pigeonColumba rupestris
Snow pigeonColumba leuconota
Eurasian eagle-owlBubo bubo
Indian eagle-owlBubo bengalensis
Common cuckooCuculus canorus
Barn swallowHirundo rustica
Eurasian magpiePica pica
Alpine choughPyrrhocorax graculus
Common ravenCorvus corax

See also

References
  1. "Khunjerab National Park". World Wildlife Fund. Archived from the original on February 4, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  2. Kemf 1993, p. 141
  3. Kalland & Bruun 1995, p. 108
  4. Kalland & Bruun 1995, p. 109
  5. Kalland & Bruun 1995, p. 110
  6. Khan 2008

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