CHITRAL, Aug 23: Many species of birds, both resident and migratory, are threatened with extinction in Chitral valley, according to experts.

Masood Ali, a local biodiversity specialist, told Dawn on Wednesday that the tally of engendered species was fast getting bigger and the situation could worsen if they weren’t conserved without delay.

He said Chitral district stretched over 14,850 square kilometres, nestled between Hindukush and Karakoram mountains, and had a wide variation in altitude (1,094 metres in south to 7,726 metres in the north).

The biodiversity specialist said Chitral valley provided an ideal habitat for resident and migratory birds.

He said birds migrating from Siberia to Pakistan’s plains in winter season passed through Baroghil Pass area of Chitral, the starting point of the River Indus.

Mr Ali said not a single district of the country supported such species of birds totaling 195 and including chukar, Himalayan snow-cock, monal pheasant and snow partridges.

He blamed the birds’ extinction on rampant hunting for high demand, deforestation, environmental degradation and inefficiency of wildlife staff.

The expert said many species of falcons, including peregrine falcon and saker falcon, had been declared the most endangered ones due to excessive hunting for trade.

According to him, several noted species of waterfowls migrating from Siberia to Chitral in the early days of spring season and ruthlessly hunted in the district are also in danger of extinction.

He said locals had developed artificial ponds along a local river to hunt these waterfowls.

Mr Ali said scavenger vulture, Eurasian woodcock, Himalayan Griffon vulture, snow pigeon, bar-headed goose, graylag goose, marbled teal, tufted duck and pallid harrier were among the endangered species of birds.

He said there were certain species of small-sized birds, which played havoc with wheat and barely crops, and vegetables, but the declining number of falcons had increased the population of such birds to the farmers’ misery.

The biodiversity specialist said large-sized scavenger vultures circled over the valley and descended when they spotted animal carcasses and took them away.

“Now, we don’t have the friend, which conserves environment,” he said while pointing to scavenger vulture.

He called for better public awareness of the ways and means to protect endangered species, and a ban on their hinting.