KARACHI: Rare species of birds have almost disappeared while many other species of fauna and flora are on the verge of extinction in Tharparkar on account of increased human pressures and reduced rainfall.

These points were highlighted on Wednesday during a seminar held at the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) of Karachi University (KU).

Titled ‘Protection of wildlife in Thar’, the programme provided the audience, largely comprising university students, valuable insight into the rich biodiversity of the region.

The best part of the event, however, was a documentary titled Nagarparkar; the Endangered Wilderness credited to the Sindh wildlife department.

Though a bit dated as it didn’t include the developments which had occurred in the region over the past few years, the documentary educated the audience on Thar’s rich heritage of flora and fauna and the many factors threatening their existence.

These factors included illegal hunting, poaching, habitat fragmentation, range-land degradation, burgeoning human population, overgrazing and over-harvesting, cutting of trees and smuggling of valuable flora. All of these factors had brought many wildlife species of both flora and fauna to the brink of extinction.

The signs of the damaged ecosystem, the film showed, were visible all over Nagarparkar, part of the Rann of Kutch wildlife sanctuary that also includes Mithi and Diplo towns of Tharparkar.

The region, brought to life by unpredictable rains, had been proved by studies to be one of the most fertile areas in the country boasting of rare herbs and shrubs.

Ruthless hunting

The number of migratory birds that once visited the region in large numbers has also come down, mainly on account of rampant illegal hunting.

The film featured images of the saras crane, a species that used to breed in Nagarparkar. The beautiful birds were forced to leave when one of the birds in a flock was shot down in 1996.

The same treatment was meted out to the blue bulls that crossed into Pakistan and were greeted with bullets.

A few species thrived in the region and prominent among them were the blue peafowl and vultures. But the population of animals like the blue bull, wild ass, hyenas, gazelle and the many reptiles like the Indian crate, cobra, vipers as well as lizards had seriously declined.

The film concluded with the message that the wildlife — which had lost their feeding and breeding grounds in Pakistan — could once again visit this country if wildlife conservation measures were taken. Replying to questions, Sindh wildlife conservator Saeed Baloch spoke of challenges the department faced, including lack of infrastructure and opportunities for capacity building.

He, however, defended the department’s decision of granting approval to mining activities in the wildlife sanctuary, arguing that a similar decision was taken when a gas pipeline was to be built in the Khirthar National Park years ago.

“Development activities can take place if they are not affecting the core area,” he said while acknowledging that ‘certain species’ were under threat in Thar.

The government, he said, had declared Bharo Jo Tar, an area located some 20km from Mithi, as a wildlife sanctuary mainly to protect the chinkara population, grown from a few pairs to 300 in a decade.

Replying to a question about large areas being used as hunting grounds in Khairpur, he said: “I really don’t know which areas you are talking about unless you specify. The department does issue permits for hunting and has introduced game farms.”

Deputy conservator of wildlife, Hyderabad, Ghulam Sarwar Jamali briefed the audience about his service in Khirthar National Park where ibex population, he pointed out, had reached 18,000 to 19,000 while the number of urial stood between 10,000 and 12,000.

Earlier, ICCBS Director Prof Iqbal Choudhry talked about the importance of wildlife in the ecosystem.

District officer of Thar Ashfaq Ali Memon and former wildlife official Lajpat Sharma also spoke.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2017