Kirthar National Park
Kirthar National Park is
Pakistan's second biggest National Park (Hingol National Park being the biggest now). It
is also the first National Park from Pakistan to be included in the 1975 United Nation's
list of National Parks around the world. Kirthar is an area of outstanding beauty and
cultural heritage which provides important habitat for a variety of mammals, birds and
reptiles characteristic of the arid subtropics Approximately one third of the park lies in
the north of Karachi district and two thirds in the south-west of Dadu district. The park
is part of a 447,161ha protected areas complex, being contiguous with Mahal Kohistan
Wildlife Sanctuary (70,577ha) to the south and Hab Dam Wildlife Sanctuary (27,219ha) to
the south-west. Surjan, Sumbak, Eri and Hothiano Game Reserve (40,632ha) lies just to the
east of the park. There are two tourist centers in the Park managed by Sind Wildlife
Management Board, namely Khar and Karchat. The centres offer cottage and dormitory
accommodation and guides are available. There are some 671km of unmetalled roads
within the park, most of which are negotiable only by four-wheel drive vehicle.
Wildlife:
In 1977, 1,480 wild goat
and 430 urial were counted in the park and 2,141 chinkara in the park and adjacent Surjan,
Sumbak, Eri and Hothiano Game Reserve. There are now over 5,000 wild goat, about 1,250
urial and less than 150 chinkara in the park, and a further 400 wild goat and 70 urial in
the game reserve . A helicopter survey conducted in November 2000 yielded estimates of the
total populations of the three large indigenous ungulates in the park. The Sindh ibex
population was estimated at 13,155 2460, and concentrated on the Khirthar Range, with
lower concentrations on Khambu and Dumbar and small numbers elsewhere; higher elevations
appear critical to this species. The Sindh urial population was estimated at 10,425 675
and concentrated on rocky sites with characteristic vegetation mainly near Khar and at
Dumbar, with small numbers elsewhere. The chinkara population was estimated at 1060 580
and concentrated in the lowlands, sharing much of its habitat with farming. The KNP
populations of all three species are of conservation importance. In October 1984, 15
blackbuck from the USA were brought to Khar visitor centre for captive propagation . It is
planned to introduce the species to the park.
Mammals:
Total species: 34
Mammals in the park include--------Sindh leopard (T), Stripped Hyena (T), Desert Wolf (T),
Indian Fox (C), Sind Wildgoat (C), Blandford's Urial (V), Honey Badger (R), Indian
Pangolin (R), Caracal (T), Jungle cat (C), Jackal (C), Chinkara Gazelle (V), Black Buck (
Reintroduced ) (R), Hedgehog (C), Porcupine (C), Indian Grey Mongoose (C), Cairo Spiny
mouse (?) and the Rock Mouse (C).
Note: T=Threatened,
V=Vulnerable, R=Rare, C=Common, ?=Unknown.
Birds:
Total species: 58
Birds in the park are-------Lammegier vulture ( Winter migrant ), Bonnelli's eagle,
Imperial eagle, Tawny eagle, Golden eagle, Eurasian griffon vulture, Egyptian vulture,
Cinereous vulture, Lagger falcon, Red-headed merlin, Kestrel, Close-Barred sandgrouse,
Houbara bustard, Grey partridge, See See partridge, Stone Curlew, Indian sand grouse,
Coronetted sand grouse, Painted sand grouse, Eagle owl , Sind pied woodpecker, Hume's
chat, Brown rock pipit, Striped buning, Finche larks, Hoopoe, Shrikes and Wheatears.
Reptiles:
The Rock python, Sind
cobra, Russell's viper, Saw-scaled viper, Sind krait, Royal rat snake, Tortoises, Desert
Monitor lizard, Yellow Monitor lizard, Sind Crocodile (Possibly extinct) and different
species of lizard and chameleon.
Credits:
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