Dr.

Abdul Aleem Chaudhry

 Species and Ecosystems
Ecosystems Complexity increases
biodiversity
Species Survival based on

Genetic diversity natural selection, and

adaptability to change in
environment
Improved Domestic species/wild relatives
varieties
Medicinal Plants /Species
2
 ECOLOGICAL ZONES
Land Cover

3
 Species Richness and Endemism
Total Reported Endemics Threatened
Mammals 174 6 20
Birds 668 25
Reptiles 177 13
Amphibians 22 9 1
Fresh Water 198 29 1
Fish
Marine 788 - 5
Echinoderms 25 - 2
Marine Molluscs 769 - 8
Invertebrates Marine Crustaceans 287 6
Marine Annelids 101 - 1
Insects >5000 - -
Angiosperms 5700 380
Plants Gymnosperms 21 -
Pteridopytes 189 -
Fungi >4500 2
Algae 775 20

4
 Where we are?
Loss of natural habitats
Forests
Arid and semi-arid rangelands
Wetlands and coastal waters
Depletion of species, population and Genetic Diversity
Internationally Mammals= 37 spp/14 sub species
threatened species Birds = 25, 17
Reptiles = 10
Species of national concern
Degradation of Agro-ecosystem and Domestic Genetic
Diversity 5
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 Critically Threatened Ecosystems

1. Indus delta and coastal wetlands

2. Indus river and wetlands
3. Chagai desert
4. Balochistan juniper forest
5. Chilghoza forest (Sulaiman Range)
6. Balochistan sub-tropical forests
7. Balochistan rivers
8. Tropical deciduous forests (Himalayan
foothills)
9. Moist and dry temperate Himalayan forests
10. Trans-Himalayan alps and plateaus 7
 Measures to Conserve
1. Planning and Policies
2. Legislation
3. Identification and monitoring
4. In-situ conservation CBD Article 8
5. Ex-situ Conservation
6. Sustainable use
7. Incentive Measures
8. Research and Training
9. Public Education and Awareness
10.Environmental Impact Assessment
11.Access Issues
12.Information Exchange
13.Financial Resources 8
 Protected Areas
IUCN defines
specifically delineated areas designated and managed to
achieve the conservation of nature and the maintenance of
associated ecosystem services and cultural values through
legal or other effective mean
CBD defines
geographically defined areas, which are designated or regulated
and managed to achieve specific conservation objectives
In-situ Conservation
the conservation of ecosystems and natural habitats and the
maintenance and recovery of viable populations of species in
their natural surroundings, and in the case of domesticated or
cultivated species, in the surroundings where they have
developed
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their distinctive properties 9
 Obligations of Parties to
CBD
• Establish a system of protected area or areas where special
measures need to be taken to conserve biological
diversity;
• Develop, where necessary, guidelines for the selection,
establishment and management of protected area or areas
where special measures need to be taken to conserve
biological diversity;
• Regulate or manage biological resources important for the
conservation of biological diversity whether within or
outside protected areas, with a view to ensuring their
conservation
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and sustainable use; 10
 Protected Areas
Conservation of Biodiversity: Genetic resources,
Species and Ecosystems
They also provide:
•environmental services, such as soil protection and
drinking water supplies;
•secure homes for vulnerable human communities
including many indigenous peoples;
•they protect places of cultural and spiritual
significance;
•supply economic benefits, for instance through
tourism; and
•give us all space for recreation and renewal.
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 Obligations of Parties to
CBD

•Promote the protection of ecosystems, natural habitats

and the maintenance of viable populations of species
in natural surroundings;
•Promote environmentally sound and sustainable
development in areas adjacent to protected areas with a
view to furthering protection of these areas;
•Rehabilitate and restore degraded ecosystems and
promote the recovery of threatened species, inter alia,
through the development and implementation of plans
or other management strategies.
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 Protected Areas Categories
I. Strict Nature Reserve / Wilderness area
Ia. Strict Nature Reserve (managed mainly for science or
wilderness protection)
Ib. Wilderness Area (managed mainly for wilderness
protection)
II. National Park (managed mainly for ecosystem protection
and tourism)
III. Natural Monument (managed mainly for conservation of
specific natural features)
IV. Habitat / Species Management Area (conservation through
management intervention)
V. Protected Landscape / Seascape (landscape/seascape
conservation and recreation)
VI. Managed
12/12/23 Resource Protected Area (sustainable use of natural ecosystems).
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 Applicability of IUCN categories in Pakistan

1. Wildlife Sanctuary corresponds to category IV

(Habitat/ Species Management Area: conservation through
management intervention)
2. National Parks correspond to category II
(managed mainly for ecosystem protection and tourism)
3. Game Reserve however does not correspond to any
category
it is claimed to correspond to category VI where the PA
is managed for sustainable use of natural ecosystems
the Game Reserve is managed only for specialized hunting
and all the other aspects of ecosystem are ignored.
Conservancies in G-B and KPK category VI
Community Hunting Reserves: Trophy hunting: 80:20%
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 225 Protected Areas
24 National Parks, 97 Wildlife Sanctuaries and 104
Game Reserves covering 9,852,006 hectares

Management objectives:
•Scientific Research
•Preservation of species and genetic diversity
•Maintenance of environmental services
•Protection of specific natural/cultural features
•Tourism and recreation
•Education
•Sustainable use of resources from natural
ecosystems
•Maintenance of cultural/traditional attributes.
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 Wildlife
Sr. National Park Sanctuary Game Reserve Total
No Province
Area Area Area Area
No (ha) No (ha) No (ha) No (ha)
1 113,35
AJ&K 7 99,191 --- --- 12 14,164 19 5
2 Balochista
n 2 634,598 16 786,539 6 232,673 24 1,653,810
3 Islamabad 1 17,386 1 7,000 1 69,800 3 94,186
4 Gilgit -
Baltistan 4 1,616,388 5 185,444 9 238,544 18 2,040,376
5 KPK 5 60,251 3 34,212 38 387,719 46 482,182
6 Punjab 4 108,873 37 198,682 24 3,853,615 65 4,161,170
7 Sindh 1 308,733 35 758,547 14 239,647 50 1,306,927

TOTAL 24 2,845,420 97 1,970,424 104 5,036,162 225 9,852,006

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 Global or regional efforts / initiatives
to address conservation in areas of land and water
•UNESCO World Heritage sites: Proposed Indus dolphin habitat, Palas valley-
Kohistan;
•UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB): Lal Suhanra National Park-Bahawalpur;
•Ramsar sites: Nineteen (19) wetlands in Pakistan;
•IUCN category VI areas: Village Conservation Areas, Valley Conservation Areas
and Conservancies established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gigit-Baltistan;
•Traditional protected areas – practiced under the customary laws, also provide for
protection of certain areas like graveyards, tombs etc. where all sorts of grazing and
cuttings are strictly prohibited;
•Nagha system: Certain areas are also seasonally protected through NAGHA to ensure
regeneration of plants and rehabilitation of degraded landscape especially in rangeland
areas in Balochistan and Pakhtunkhwa where seasonal protection improves grazing;
•Trans-boundary Protected Areas: Preliminary discussions have been held between
Sinkiang Academy of Sciences and Worldwide Fund for Nature-Pakistan for the
establishment of a trans-boundary protected area in Northern Pakistan, and adjoining
areas of China and the neighbouring Central Asian states.

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 Protected Areas of Pakistan

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Sr. National Territory / Eco-system Area Wildlife species
No. Park Province (ha)

1 Margallah Islamabad Tropical dry 15,883 Barking Deer, Leopard,

Hills mixed deciduous Rhesus monkey, White
forests, Rawal crested kaleej pheasant
Lake: wetland

2 Hazarganji Balochista Balochistan Hills 15,555 Chiltan markhor

Chiltan n Pistacia and
Juniper forests

3 Hingol Balochista Tropical thorn 619,043 Geological formations,

n forest, Riverine Mud volcanoes, Marsh
ecosystem, crocodile, Wild goat,
marine and Urial, Chinkara,
coastal areas Biodiversity
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4 Khirthar Sindh Tropical thorn forest 308,733 Wild goat, Urial, Chinkara,
Common leopard,
historic graveyards and
Rannikot fort
5 Ayubia Khyber Himalayan moist 3,122 Common leopard, Rhesus
Pakhtunkhwa temperate forests, monkey, Goral, pheasants,
(KPK) Tropical thorn forests

6 Chitral Gol KPK Himalayan dry 7,750 Flare-horned markhor, Snow

coniferous forests, Dry leopard
alpine zone
7 Sheikh Badin KPK Dry Sub-tropical Semi- 15,540 Straight-horned markhor,
evergreen Scrub forests

8 Saiful Maluk KPK Cold desert and dry 12,026 Lake Saif-ul-Maluk, Snow
alpine zone, valley leopard, Himalayan Ibex,
bottoms and stream Brown & Black bear
beds
9 Lulusar- KPK Cold desert and dry 75,058 Snow leopard, Lynx, Black &
Dodipat alpine zone, valley Brown bear, Snow partridge,
bottoms and stream Ram chakor
beds, Lakes, glaciers,
snow bound peaks
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10 Khunjera Gilgit- Cold desert and 227,143 Marco Polo’s sheep,
b Baltistan dry alpine zone Snow leopard, Marmot,
Blue sheep, Himalayan
ibex, Wild ass,
11 Hunderab Gilgit- Cold desert and 165,000 Himalayan Ibex, Snow
Shandoor Baltistan dry alpine zone, Leopard, trout
alpine wetlands

12 Deosai Gilgit- High altitude 363,600 Brown bear, Snow

plains Baltistan wetlands, Alpine leopard, Himalayan
plateau meadows ibex, waterfowl
13 Central Gilgit- Himalayan dry 973,845 Glaciers and Peaks like
Karakoram Baltistan coniferous K-2, Gashabrum, Snow
forests, Cold leopard, Black bear,
deserts and dry Himalayan Ibex, Musk
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alpine zone deer, Ladakh urial, 21
14 Machiara AJ&K Himalayan moist alpine zone, 13,532 Snow leopard, Black bear, Himalayan
Sub alpine scrub, Himalayan Ibex, Musk deer, Himalayan pheasants,
moist temperate forests Himalayan langur
15 Ghamot AJ&K Himalayan dry coniferous 27,271 Snow Leopard, Himalayan Ibex, Musk
forests, Dry alpine zone Deer, Black Bear, Brown Bear,
pheasants, Himalayan Griffon Vulture,
Yew and Kuth
16 Pir Lasoorha AJ&K Sub-tropical pine forests, 1,580 Common Leopard, Rhesus Monkey,
tropical thorn forests Palm Civet, Kaleej and Koklass
Pheasant, chukar, partridges (black and
grey), quail

17 Toli Pir AJ&K Himalayan moist temperate 1,000 Common Leopard, Rhesus monkey,
forests Black bear, Palm civet, Pheasants
(Koklass and Kaleej), chukar partridge

18 Musk Deer Gurez AJ&K Himalayan moist temperate 52,815 Common leopard, Musk deer, Black
forests, Himalayan dry bear, Brown bear, Yellow-throated
coniferous forests, dry alpine martin, wolf, Pheasants (Koklass,
zone Monal), snow cock and Himalayan
Griffon Vulture, Golden eagle, yew

19 Deva Vatala AJ&K Dry Sub-tropical Semi- 2,993 Nilgai, barking deer, hare and grey
evergreen Scrub forest, Sub- partridge, black partridge, red jungle
tropical pine forests fowl, Indian peacock; waterfowl, and
Indian python
20 Punch River AJ&K Riverine areas, and the river Snow trout, Mahseer, indigenous fish
stretch in Moist temperate species, introduced trout
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21 Lal Punjab Tropical thorn 51,368 Blackbuck, Chinkara,
Suhanra forests, Sand Nilgai,Houbara
dune desert bustard, Snake bird
22 Chinji Punjab Sub-tropical thorn 6,097 Punjab Urial, Fossils
forests dating back to Tethys
sea
23 Kala Chitta Punjab Dry Sub-tropical Punjab Urial,
Semi-evergreen Chinkara, Chakor,
Scrub forest partridges
24 Kotli Punjab Sub-tropical Barking deer, Common
Sattian- thorn forest, Sub- leopard, Leopard cat,
Kahuta- tropical pine Himalayan palm civet,
Murree forest, Koklas pheasant,
Himalayan moist White-crested Kaleej
temperate forest pheasant

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 Threats to PAs

The key threats

•illegal use of natural resources,
•habitat degradation and in some cases even the
habitat loss,
•lack of stakeholders’ participation,
•week enforcement of legislation,
•lack of capacity,
•lack of awareness,
•poverty and environment nexus, and
•financial constraints.

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 Mitigation efforts

Strengthening the enforcement of legislation,

•stakeholders participation,
•awareness campaigns, and
•collaboration among the Government/s, NGOs
and donors.
Control and enforcement mechanisms adopted
•good governance,
•legislation enforcement with the help of
communities,
•human resource development, and
•outreach programs.
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 Mitigation efforts

•Awareness raising events organized at places in and

around biodiversity hotspots.

•No key threat mitigated completely,

•Partial successes achieved to mitigate all the threats,

•This varies from site to site and threat to threat,

• Generalization not possible.

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 Other Measures
•Conservation of land and sea-scape besides protected areas.
•The high yielding varieties of crops, fruit trees, poultry and
livestock
•The importance of the need to conserve the genetic diversity now
being increasingly realized, measures being taken for its
conservation.
•Exotic species of flora and fauna indiscriminately introduced
•Because of increasing awareness about the threats of invasive
alien species introduction of alien species being strictly regulated.
•Financial resource allocations for biodiversity, both national and
international, and international cooperation increased
•The protected area system needs to be strengthened ensuring
that at least 10% area of all major ecosystems, habitats,
ecologically sensitive areas effectively conserved.
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 Some more suggestions

•The conservation status of species of flora and fauna

threatened with extinction or endangered by trade,
hunting or loss of habitat to be improved;
•Conservation of landscapes: the basis to maintain
capacity of ecosystems to deliver goods and services
and support livelihoods,
•Mitigation measures to be developed in selected
ecosystems to adapt to climate change, and enhance
resilience of biodiversity.

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 Site-based Protected Area Planning and Management

•Protected area planning and management until recently the

domain of professionals alone;
•Site based consultations involving protected area
functionaries, local stakeholders, and researchers increasingly
adopted;
•Eleven National Parks out of 24 have management plans;
•Most of these management plans prepared in the recent past;
•Employed participatory approach for planning;
•In general most of the PAs so far declared have partially
achieved the conservation objectives;
•A comprehensive review needs to be undertaken.

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Involvement of Indigenous and Local Communities
and Relevant Stakeholders
•The local communities and relevant stakeholders now
being increasingly involved in planning and
management of Pas;
•True of almost all the National Parks;
•The initial consultative meetings held in the villages
all around the protected areas;
•Villagers invited to nominate representatives to work
closely with the functionaries during the planning
process;
•During the planning process, the functionaries and
the local communities agree on the structure and
functions of the joint committees for management.
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Involvement of Indigenous and Local Communities
and Relevant Stakeholders
•The collaborative approaches for planning and management
of Pas not yet integrated into the formal policy and legal
instruments;
•Provisions made in the drafts under revision;
•No formal assessment of the effectiveness of participatory or
collaborative management.
•Informal evidence suggests;
•These approaches are working well for now.

•No protected area being managed by indigenous or local

communities.
•More than 100 areas across the country being managed as
community conservation areas; trophy hunting.
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 Geographic Information System (GIS)
Geographic Positioning System (GPS)

•Widely used to collect the base data on natural resources,

land use classification, Cadastral data, animal populations,
evaluation of the habitat and habitat use;
•Modern scientific tools being used to record data on animal
populations and the habitat use;
•One important use of GIS is the Boundary Demarcation and
subsequently re-notification of Pas;
•Almost all the PAs notified based on empirical description of
the boundaries that led to disputes among different agencies
and private individuals
•GIS being effectively used to remedy the embarrassing
situation/s.
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Future

33