Wetlands of Pakistan

Presented To: Dr. By Saleha MahmoodPhD Scholar at SDSC, GCUCourse: Wetland Management

Wetlands of Pakistan - An Overview

National Context

International Context

Wetlands of Pakistan:-An OverviewNational Context

Total wetland surface area: 9.7%

Total wetland sites: 225 (Pakistan GIS database)

Northern areas: 119 lakes and peat lands

46 Sites of protected status: 7 national parks, 25 wildlife sanctuaries and 10 game reserves

1967: Meaning and significance of Pakistan wetlands for the first time was noticed by international community

23rd November 1976: The convention on wetlands came into force for Pakistan

1976: Total wetland surface area 7,800 sq km with 9 wetlands of global significance

2001: Number raised to 16

2013:Among 1,888 Ramsar sites, 19 sites of Pakistan bear global importance

Total surface area of Pakistan Ramsar sites is 1,343,627 hectares

International Context

Wetland Types and Area in Pakistan

Sr. Wetland Type Continental area (hectares)

1 Inland waters >7,800, 000

2 Delta marshes 300, 000

3 Mangroves 250-283, 000

4 Lakes and reservoirs 472, 070

5 Fish farms and ponds 334, 019.4

Total Area 8,906,339.4-9,189,089.4 hectares

Source: Khan & Arshad, 2014

Among 225 sites 112 are significant

Sr. No.

Location/Province No. of wetlands

Status

NP P NK

1. Sindh 30 19 11 -

2. Balochistan 22 15 4 03

3. KPK 20 14 05 01

4. Punjab 17 05 11 01

5. Northern areas 12 05 01 06

6. AJK 10 ✓ - -

7. Rawal Lake (Islamabad)

01 ✓

NP: Not ProtectedP: ProtectedNK: Not Known

Out of 112 important sites 30 are located in Sindh

Out of 19 Ramsar sites of Pakistan, 10 are located in Sindh

Major Wetland Complexes of Pakistan

Four Major Wetland Complexes:

1. North-Western Alpine Wetlands Complex (NAWC)

2. Salt Range Wetlands Complex (SRWC)

3. Central Indus Wetland Complex (CIWC)

4. Makran Coast Wetlands Complex (MCWC)

North-West Alpine Wetlands

Complex (NAWC)

Series of high altitude, interlinked, glacial, kettle and valley bottom lakes, marshes, peat bogs and braided stream beds in the Yarkhun Valley.

Yarkhun River: The North Western Alpine Wetland Complex (NAWC)

Total land area: 1760 sq km Location: 70 km long and 23 km wide situated

in the upper Yarkhun River Valley

Gilgit Baltistan and Alpine Wetlands Complex

The range in elevation of the wetlands extends from 2,600m in the southwest to 4,150m in the case of Lake Karumbar at the north-eastern extremity

Mountain peaks: 6 located at an elevation of 6,000 m have permanent snow accumulation zones, ice fields and glaciers

Plant species: Hippophae rhamnoides, Myricaria elegans, Poplus ciliata and Salix viminalis. Above the tree line, the dominant grasses are Festuca altaica and Poa attenuata.

Animal Species: Wild vertebrates at lower elevations and hibernating species (Golden Marmaot) and seasonal migrants (Marco Polo Sheep)

Flocks of migratory birds use the wetlands during the early and late summer periods

North West Alpine Wetland Complex (NAWC)

Plant species of NAWCMyricaria elegans

Hippophae rhamnoids Festuca altaica

Salix viminalis

Golden marmot

Marco polo sheep

Human communities: “Wakhi pastoralists” Main sources of survival: hunting of migratory waterfowl and alpine ungulates

Necessary livestock retained in harsh winters by stalk-feeding

Cut and dried emergent vegetation from alpine wetlands used as fodder

Major problem: Fuel availability for space heating and cooking

Important activity: Collection of plants and peat from marshes, stream beds, and lake surroundings which is dried, stored and burned when required

Accumulation of animals to wetlands due to seasonal migrations

Isolated water bodies, such as kettle lakes on perched plains, are denuded of peripheral and emergent vegetation by the end of the summer.

2. Salt Range Wetlands Complex (SRWC)

The entire complex is 175 km long and runs from Jhelum in the east to Kalabagh in the west

Sr. Name Province District Status1. Kallar

kaharPunjab Chakwal Wildlife

sanctuary2. Khabbeki Punjab Khushab Wildlife

sanctuary3. Ucchali Punjab Khushab Ramsar

site4. Jhalar Punjab Khushab Not

Protected5. Namal

LakesPunjab Khushab Wildlife

sanctuary

SRWC: Five Independent Wetlands

Wetlands provide a crucial source of irrigation in this essentially semi arid area.

International Importance recognized by RC

3. Central Indus Wetland Complex (CIWC)

Extending among the Chashma in the North and Sukkur City in the south, this complex lies along the main stem of Indus River.Consists of braided streams and owbox lakes and seasonally inundated depressions in the flood plain.Area: 9,700 km, 708 km long and 9-23 km wide

Serious damage to wetland and associated biodiversityIndus Water Dolphin in THREAT!

Exhaustive use of resource Harmful fishing techniques Over fishing Extensive use of agro-chemicals,

urban and industrial wastes Hunting and removal of wetlands

flora Inhabitants largely depend upon

existing wetland resources of the region

Sarus Crane (Threatened Bird taxa in CIWC)

CIWC is a principal flyway for migrant bird speciesMigration route used by 66 different birds including threatened ones.Indus river within the Makran Coastal Wetland Complex support more than 95% of the surviving population of the endangered and endemic Indus River Dolphin

4. Makran Coastal Wetland Complex (MCWC)

Extending westwards along Balochistan’s Makran Coast from the Basol River to Jiwani on the border with Iran

Makran Coastal Wetland Complex (MCWC)

Internationally recognized by

RC Bureau

Sr. Name Province District Status

1. Akara Dam BALOCHISTAN

MAKRAN

Not Protected

2. Astola Sea Mount

Not Protected

3. Jiwani Estuary Not Protected

4. Kalmat Khor Not Protected

5. Astola Island Wildlife Sanctuary

Biodiversity of MCWC

Corals

Sea grass

10 species of marine cetaceans

Mangrove swamps

Threatened marine turtles

Endangered marsh crocodiles

Migratory birds

Astola Island (Haft Talar)Location: 25 km in south of the desert coast of Balochistan and spreads over 5,000 hectares with 6 km in lengthMost significant island in the north of Arabian Sea Lobsters, oyesters and fish caught between May to September

Important for endemic reptiles as green turtles and hawksbill turtle are the most endangered species of the island

Green turtle Hawksbill turtle

Jiwani Coastal Wetland Complex

It is located around the Delta of Dasht river in Balochistan which spreads over an area of 4,600 hectares.Thousands of migratory water birdsJiwani Sea Mount and the areas of rocky shore-line, estuaries and associated mangroves are vital breeding areas for commercially important fish species.

Green turtle

Olive Ridley

Endangered species

Mangrove specie: Avicennia marina

Pakistan’s 19 sites Internationally recognized by Ramsar Convention (RC)

Bureau

2PK009 Astola (Haft Talar)

Island, Balochistan

2PK009 Astola (Haft Talar) Island,

Balochistan

Astola Island Sea Anemone

Chashma Barrage

Deh Akro-II Desert Wetland Complex,

Sindh

2PK007, Drigh Lake, Sindh

Migratory Water Fowl Birds

Drigh Lake, Bird fauna

Sindh

Black crowned Night Heron

2PK008, Haleji Lake, Sindh

Waterfowl breeding facility at Haleji Lake

Asia’s largest

Bird Sanctuary

2PK010 Hub Dam, Sindh, Balochistan

2PK018, Indus Delta, Sindh,

Mangroves of Indus Delta

2PK011, Indus Dolphin Reserve

2PK012, Jiwani coastal wetland, Balochistan

Mangrove tree nursery

Mangrove tree plantation

2PK013, Jubho Lagoon, Sujawal District, Sindh

Delmatian pelicans

2PK006, Kinjhar Lake, Thatta District, Sindh

2PK014, Miani Hor, Lasbela District, Balochistan

2PK015 Nurri Lagoon, Badin District, Sindh

2PK016 Ormara Turtle Beaches, Balochistan

2PK019 Runn of Kutch, Sindh

World Largest Salt Desert

2PK004 Tanda Dam, Kohat District, KPK

2PK003 Taunsa Barrage, Punjab

Taunsa barrage wildlife sanctuary

2PK001 Thanedar Wala, Bannu District, KPK

Thanedar wala Game Reserve

2PK005 Ucchali Complex, Khushab District, Punjab