Kirthar National Park

The Kirthar National Park (Urdu: کِیرتھر نیشنل پارک ‎), Sindhi (کيرٿرنيشنل پارڪ)[1][2] is situated in the Kirthar Mountains in Jamshoro District in Sindh, Pakistan. The park was established in 1974, and encompasses an area of over 3,087 square kilometres (1,192 sq mi) - making it the third largest national park in Pakistan by size after the Central Karakoram National Park and Hingol National Park. The park is accessible by four wheel drive vehicles while two rest houses belonging to the Sindh Wildlife Department are available for tourist accommodation.[3]

Kirthar National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
View of the Kirthar Park
Park location in Pakistan
LocationJamshoro District, Sindh, Pakistan
Coordinates25°42′N 67°35′E
Area3,087 km2 (1,192 sq mi)
Established1974
Governing bodyWildlife and Parks Department of Government of Pakistan

The park's fauna comprises Indian leopards, striped hyenas, Indian wolves, ratels, urials, chinkara gazelles and rare Sind wild goats. Blackbuck antelopes are kept in enclosures for a reintroduction project at Kirthar National Park. Most large predators have been killed with the last leopard shot in 1977.[4]

Species

Mammals

Total species: 34. Mammals in the park include:

Name of animal Scientific name Status Pictures
Indian leopardPanthera pardus fuscaThreatened
Striped hyenaHyaena hyaenaThreatened
Indian wolfCanis lupus pallipesThreatened
Bengal foxVulpes bengalensisCommon
Sindh ibexCapra aegagrus blythiCommon
Blanford urialOvis orientalis blanfordiVulnerable
Indian ratelM. c. indicaRare
Indian pangolinManis crassicaudataRare
CaracalCaracal caracalRare
Jungle catFelis chaus chausCommon
Persian jackalC. a. aureusCommon
ChinkaraGazella bennettiiCommon
BlackbuckAntilope cervicapraRare (Reintroduced)
Indian hedgehogParaechinus micropusCommon
Indian crested porcupineHystrix indicaCommon
Indian grey mongooseHerpestes edwardsiCommon
Cairo spiny mouseAcomys cahirinusUnconfirmed

Birds

There are a total of 58 species of birds in Kirthar National Park. Species found the park are Bearded vulture (winter migratory), Bonelli's eagle, Imperial eagle, Tawny eagle, Golden eagle, Griffon vulture, Egyptian vulture, Cinereous vulture, Laggar falcon, Red-necked falcon, Common kestrel, Crowned sandgrouse, Houbara bustard, Grey partridge, See-see partridge, Stone-curlew, Chestnut-bellied sandgrouse, Lichtenstein's sandgrouse, Painted sandgrouse, Indian eagle-owl, Sind woodpecker, Hume's wheatear, Long-billed pipit, Crested bunting, Desert lark, Hoopoe and Grey-backed shrike.

Reptiles

Reptiles found the park includes Indian python, Indian cobra, Russell's viper, Indian saw-scaled viper, Sind krait, black copper rat snake, Indian star tortoise, Desert monitor, Yellow monitor, Mugger crocodile (possibly extinct),

See also

References
  1. "New Page 1". www.tourism.gov.pk. Archived from the original on 17 March 2019. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  2. "Recent rains transform Kirthar Park into haven for wild animals - Daily Times". 9 August 2016.
  3. Khirthar national park Archived 4 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Publisher: Sindh Wildlife Department, Retrieved on 5 August 2012
  4. Michael J. B. Green: IUCN directory of South Asian protected areas. Iucn-World Conservation Union (December 1990). ISBN 2-8317-0030-2

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