Biodiversity in Pakistan
Species diversity, habitats, threats to biodiversity and conservation
Biodiversity = the variety of life on Earth — species diversity, genetic diversity, and ecosystem diversity.
Why biodiversity matters:
- Ecosystem services: pollination (crops), water purification, soil fertility, climate regulation
- Medical: many medicines come from plants and animals
- Food security: diverse crops are more resilient to disease and climate change
- Economic: ecotourism, fisheries, forestry
Pakistan's biodiversity:
- 5,000+ plant species, 668 bird species, 177 mammal species, 177 reptile species
- Snow leopard: 300-400 in Pakistan (Karakoram, Hindukush, Himalayas) — vulnerable
- Indus river dolphin (Bhulan): fewer than 2,000 — endangered, lives only in Indus between Guddu and Sukkur barrages
- Markhor (national animal): wild goat, Gilgit-Baltistan — recovering due to trophy hunting revenue programme
- Olive ridley sea turtles: nest on Makran coast, Balochistan
Threats to biodiversity:
- Habitat destruction: deforestation, agriculture expansion, urban sprawl
- Overexploitation: illegal hunting, overfishing
- Climate change: temperature shifts, glacier melt, habitat loss
- Invasive species: outcompete native species
- Pollution: pesticides, industrial waste
Conservation strategies:
- In-situ (on site): national parks (Khunjerab, Hingol, Lal Suhanra), wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserves
- Ex-situ (off site): zoos, botanical gardens, seed banks, captive breeding (Lahore Zoo snow leopard programme)
Key Points to Remember
- 1Biodiversity: species, genetic and ecosystem diversity
- 2Snow leopard, Indus dolphin, Markhor — Pakistan's flagship species
- 3Threats: habitat destruction, overexploitation, climate change
- 4In-situ: national parks; ex-situ: zoos, captive breeding
Pakistan Example
Hingol National Park — Pakistan's Largest Protected Area
Hingol National Park (Balochistan, 6,100 km²) is Pakistan's largest national park — home to Persian leopards, Sindh ibex, golden jackals, and hundreds of bird species. The Makran coast within Hingol protects olive ridley sea turtle nesting beaches. WWF Pakistan's Community-Based Conservation programme pays local communities to protect snow leopards rather than kill them — a successful in-situ conservation model tested across Pakistan's north.
Quick Revision Infographic
Environmental Studies — Quick Revision
Biodiversity in Pakistan
Key Concepts
Hingol National Park — Pakistan's Largest Protected Area
Hingol National Park (Balochistan, 6,100 km²) is Pakistan's largest national park — home to Persian leopards, Sindh ibex, golden jackals, and hundreds of bird species. The Makran coast within Hingol protects olive ridley sea turtle nesting beaches. WWF Pakistan's Community-Based Conservation programme pays local communities to protect snow leopards rather than kill them — a successful in-situ conservation model tested across Pakistan's north.