Top 5 Endangered Species in Pakistan

List of Top 5 Endangered Animals in Pakistan

Be it deserts or mountains, Pakistan has a diverse range of ecosystems. As time progresses, a visible environmental change further creates unfavorable conditions for animals to survive. Pakistan is no exception, as there is a range of endangered species that are at risk of becoming extinct. In this blog, I will show you the top 5 endangered animals in Pakistan and the reasons why they are at risk.

What are Endangered Species?

Species or animals that are at a higher rate of becoming extinct in the future are termed as endangered species. There are many reasons for a species to go extinct, such as illegal killing, climate change, or habitat degradation.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) plays a significant role in identifying endangered species in Pakistan by conducting research and analyzing the population of animals. Furthermore, The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies species in a red list based on their decline by 70%.

Snow Leopard

Snow leopards are beautiful large cat species found in northern areas of Pakistan, mostly in the Hindukash and Karakoram mountains. They have a thick layer of fur to survive in the harsh snowy weather. As compared to the other species, snow leopards have large paws, acting as natural snow boots, benefiting them in harsh snowy conditions. Furthermore, they have long tails that can be wrapped around their body for extra warmth.

Here are some more interesting facts about Snow Leopards you would like to know:

Scientific name	Panthera uncia
Habitat	High mountains
Height	Upto 5ft
Lifespan	10 to 13 years
Population	Around 250 to 420 remaining
Weight	Males: 99 to 121 poundsFemales: 77 to 88 pounds

Why are They Among the Endangered Species in Pakistan?

The following are some major reasons snow leopards are endangered:

There are higher chances of snow leopards becoming extinct soon due to the increased rate of wildlife trade. They are killed to utilize their thick layer of fur on the body. According to research conducted in 2022, it was recorded that there was a 2% to 4% annual population decline of snow leopards over 13 years.
Snow leopards are also killed by local farmers and herders because of their threat to livestock. In 2023, a total of 13 incidents of retaliatory killings of snow leopards were reported, along with 69% of the local population in the Himalayan region wanting to reduce them.

Markhor

Markhor, the national animal of Pakistan, is mostly found in KPK and Balochistan. They are known for their long corkscrew-shaped horns that can grow up to 60 inches long in males and 10 inches in females. The color tone of their fur is usually reddish or greyish brown, depending on its region. Furthermore, they graze on grass, leaves, and twigs.

The given table will give you more information about Markhors:

Scientific name	Capra falconeri
Height	65 to 155 cm (25.6 to 45.3 inches)
Weight	32 to 110 kg
Lifespan	10 to 13 years
Habitat	Himalayan Mountain Range around or above the tree line in Balochistan and KPK

Why are They Among the Endangered Animals in Pakistan?

In 2015, Markhor was listed as an endangered animal in Pakistan by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for the following reasons:

The loss of natural habitats (deforestation) for human settlements has impacted the survival of markhors. As they graze on grass or leaves, deforestation results in a smaller habitat, complicating food and mate hunt. Loss of habitat for this endangered species in Pakistan is also the result of the increased human population with more demand for wood, etc.
Trophy hunting is one of the most important factors that has led to the extinction of markhors. It is an act of killing an animal and preserving its body parts as a reward or trophy. Pakistan has allowed trophy hunting of markhor in KPK under certain rules and regulations. For instance, the number of hunting days is specified according to the trophy hunting permit.

Furthermore, May 24, 2024, was celebrated as the International Day of Markhor for the first time as a depiction of the preservation of ecology and wildlife conservation. To avoid the extinction of Markhor from Pakistan, the Wildlife Conservation Society is taking initiatives to protect their natural habitat and enforcing anti-poaching laws.

Indus River Dolphin

Indus river dolphins originated from the Tethys Sea and disappeared millions of years ago after drying up. This disturbed the habitat of species living there. Later, Indus River dolphins were found residing in the lower parts of the Indus River in Pakistan. They adopted the river channels with low-velocity water as their habitat.

Here are some interesting facts about the Indus River Dolphin you would like to know

Status	Endangered
Common Name	Indus River dolphin, Bhulan, blind river dolphin, Indus dolphin, side swimming dolphin; Plataniste de l’Indus (Fr); Delfín del Indo
Scientific Name	Platanista minor
Habitat	Indus River in Pakistan
Population	Around 1960 remaining
Weight	70 to 110 Kg
Length	Around 2.5 meter

Why are They Endangered Species in Pakistan?

One of the main reasons for the decline of the Indus River Dolphin in Pakistan is the construction of dams and barrages, which started in the 1930s.

It was noted that the dolphins are no longer present in the deep Indus River due to the water extraction. With the development of barrages, the dolphins that swim downstream could not swim back due to the strong water currents. This is why there are fewer chances for their rescue, slowly leading to their extinction.

WWF is taking measures to secure dolphins by spreading awareness about reducing water pollution. According to research, WWF rescued 80 dolphins from irrigation canals in 2000 and conducted the largest Indus River Dolphin survey in Pakistan in 2001.

Pakistan Sand Cat

Sand cat, as the name suggests, resides in the deserts of Pakistan. It has long sand-yellow colored hair that covers its paws to protect against hot sand, helping it survive in desert temperatures up to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.

Scientific Name	Felis margarita
Common Names	Sand Dune cat, Pakistan sand cat
Group	Mammals
Habitat	Sandy and stony deserts, mostly in Balochistan
Weight	2.8kg

Why are They Endangered in Pakistan?

One of the main reasons for sand cats’ extinction is the higher rate of habitat destruction due to human activities.
They rely on small rodents and birds that are reduced due to the overgrazing by livestock.

Asian Black Bear

The Asian black bear has thick black fur on its body with a light-colored crescent mark on its chest. This is why it is also referred to as ‘moon bear’. It has strong, big paws and can walk like humans. Furthermore, they were mostly found in Balochistan but later were considered an endangered species.

Scientific name	Ursus thibetanus
Lifespan	25 years
Weight	40 to 200 kg
Length	47.2 to 74.8 inches
Habitat	dry temperate forest and tropical woodlands

Why are These Endangered in Pakistan?

A large number of Asian bears were found captured by the locals either to keep them as pets or for bear baiting, in which they fight with dogs having their claws and teeth removed. Considering this as a threat to their population, bear baiting was considered unlawful in 2001.

Conclusion

To sum this up, the snow leopard, markhor, indus river dolphin, Pakistan sand cat, and Asian black bear are the top 5 endangered animals in Pakistan. One of the major reasons explored for their extinction is the loss of habitat due to human activities or illegal killing. No doubt preventive measures are being taken to preserve these animals. However, it is only possible if people understand the importance of securing these species. Illegal acts such as capturing animals for entertainment purposes, disturbing their habitat, and killing them need to be strongly penalized.