Khunjerab National Park

Khunjerab National Park (خنجراب نیشنل پارک)
Protected Area
Country Pakistan
Province Gilgit-Baltistan
Range Karakoram
Elevation 4,000 ft (1,219 m)
Established 1975
Visitation 250,000

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.

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 1979 by Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who said that "it must become a world famous park".[3]

Some tall, blue-grey mountains rise out of brown soil below a deep blue sky
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 leopard Panther uncia Threatened
Himalayan ibex Capra ibex sibirica Least concern
Himalayan brown bear Ursus arctos isabellinus Threatened
Red fox Vulpes vulpes Least concern
Tibetan wolf Canis lupus filchneri Threatened
Blue sheep Pseudois nayaur Vulnerable (Shimshal are only)
Marco Polo sheep Ovis ammon polii Threatened
Western kiang E. k. kiang Unconfirmed
Fergana stoat M. e. ferghanae Least concern
Mountain weasel Mustela altaica Unconfirmed
Beech marten Martes foina Least concern
Long-tailed marmot Marmota caudata Least concern
Eurasian lynx lynx lynx Unconfirmed
Large-eared pika Ochotona macrotis Least concern
Dhole Cuon alpinus Unconfirmed
Cape hare Lepus capensis Least concern
Wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus Least concern
Royle's mountain vole Alticola roylei Near threatened
Asian house shrew Suncus murinus Least concern
Etruscan shrew Suncus etruscus Least concern
Grey dwarf hamster Cricetulus migratorius Least concern

Birds

Name of bird Scientific name Pictures
Bearded vulture Gypaetus barbatus
Golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos
Himalayan vulture Gyps himalayensis
Cenreous vulture Aegypius monachus
Western marsh harrier Circus aeruginosus
Eurasian sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
Eurasian kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Lesser kestrel Falco naumanni
Saker falcon Falco cherrug
Peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus
Himalayan snowcock Tetraogallus himalayensis
Chukar partridge Alectoris chukar
Grey heron Ardea cinerea
Common sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Hill pigeon Columba rupestris
Snow pigeon Columba leuconota
Eurasian eagle-owl Bubo bubo
Indian eagle-owl Bubo bengalensis
Common cuckoo Cuculus canorus
Barn swallow Hirundo rustica
Eurasian magpie Pica pica
Alpine chough Pyrrhocorax graculus
Common raven Corvus corax

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Khunjerab National Park". World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  2. ↑ Kemf 1993, p. 141
  3. ↑ Kalland & Bruun 1995, p. 108
  4. 1 2 Kalland & Bruun 1995, p. 109
  5. ↑ Kalland & Bruun 1995, p. 110
  6. ↑ Khan 2008

Coordinates: 36°35′13″N 75°23′59″E / 36.58700332°N 75.39986078°E / 36.58700332; 75.39986078

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