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Khunjerab National Park

Coordinates: 36°35′13″N 75°23′59″E / 36.58700332°N 75.39986078°E / 36.58700332; 75.39986078
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Khunjerab National Park
Map showing the location of Khunjerab National Park
Map showing the location of Khunjerab National Park
Khunjerab National Park is established adjacent to Taxkorgan Natural Reserve, China
LocationHunza District, Karakoram, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
Coordinates36°35′13.21″N 75°23′59.5″E / 36.5870028°N 75.399861°E / 36.5870028; 75.399861
Area2,269.13 km2 (876.12 sq mi)
Elevation17,000 ft (5,200 m)
Established1975
Visitors250000

Khunjerab National Park (Urdu: خنجراب نیشنل پارک) is a national park in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. Khunjerab National Park is Pakistan's third largest national park, and is adjacent to the Taxkorgan Natural Reserve in China.[1][2][3][4]

Etymology

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Khun means "blood" and jerav means "to stream" in Wakhi, the native language of the region.[5]

History

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Khunjerab National Park was established primarily as a means to protect the Marco Polo sheep (as well as snow leopards and bharal) living in the area.[6][7] The borders of the park were mapped by Schaller in 1974, after a short field survey. The park was formally established on 29 April 1975 by Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who said that "it must become a world famous park".[8]

Some tall, blue-grey mountains rise out of brown soil below a deep blue sky
Khunjerab Pass is close to the national park's northwest corner

Despite being listed as a category 2 national park, banning human activities including agriculture and hunting, the park was poorly managed, meaning that illegal hunting of the Marco Polo sheep continued. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature commissioned Norwegian biologist Per Wegge to do a wildlife survey of the park in 1988.[9] Wegge found that there was no evidence of competition between the domestic sheep being illegally grazed and the wild Marco Polo sheep, and that most of the illegal hunting was not being done by local Wakhi residents.[9] He therefore proposed that the park be reclassified, allowing grazing and commercial hunting, with the profits going to local residents. However, the government overlooked Wegge's suggestions, instead drawing up a new management plan, which both the IUCN and the World Wildlife Fund supported as a means to preserve the park and protect the wildlife. Wegge was critical of the government scheme, claiming that it was based on financial considerations, with the Pakistani government hoping to attract tourists to the area. The IUCN agreed with this, and has since distanced itself from the national park.[10] To help protect the animals from poaching, the WWF has created the Khunzerav Village Organization, which relies on people living in the area to report poaching or endangered animal sightings.[11] This park was created on 29 April 1975 on the recommendation of wildlife biologist Dr. George Schaller. Over half of the park is above 4,000 m. Khunjerab Pass, the gateway to China via the Karakoram Highway, is at 4,934 m.

The world's highest ATM near the Khunjerab Pass installed by NBP, is situated in the park.

There is an ATM considered as the world's highest ATM at a height of 4,693 metres (15,397 ft) above sea level, installed by National Bank of Pakistan is located near the China-Pakistan border cross at Khunjerab Pass.[12]

Wildlife

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The primary purpose of this park was to provide protection to the endangered Marco Polo sheep, which is only found in this area in Pakistan. According to the Mir of Hunza, the population of sheep was around 400 but had dropped to below 180 by the time of the completion of the Karakoram Highway. A herd of almost 75 Marco Polo sheep was recorded in the spring of 1984 and park staff saw at least 50 crossing the pass in May 1989.

The park is also home to snow leopards.[13][12] Some reports say that it might contain the highest density of these beautiful cats in the total Himalayan ecosystem, which is the natural habitat of these cats. Over 2,000 Siberian ibex, widely distributed and abundant in the park but absent from neighbouring China, are also present here.

Feral or semi-feral animals especially domestic yaks can be seen roaming in the park.[14]

Mammals

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Total species: 16. Mammals in the park include:[15][16][7]

Name of animal Scientific name Status Pictures
Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus Least concern
Grey long-eared bat Plecotus austriacus Near Threatened
Indian wolf Canis lupus pallipes Endangered
Hill fox Vulpes vulpes montana Data Deficient
Himalayan brown bear Ursus arctos isabellinus Critically Endangered
Snow leopard Panthera uncia Critically Endangered
Himalayan ibex Capra sibirica Near Threatened
Bharal Pseudois nayaur Endangered (Shimshal area only)
Marco Polo sheep Ovis ammon polii Critically Endangered
Cape hare Lepus capensis Vulnerable
Large-eared pika Ochotona macrotis Least concern
Long-tailed marmot Marmota caudata Least Concern
Kashmir field mouse Apodemus rusiges Least concern
Grey dwarf hamster Nothocricetulus migratorius Least concern

Birds

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45 avian species are found in the Khunjerab National Park.[15][16]

Name of bird Scientific name Pictures
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros
White-capped redstart Phoenicurus leucocephalus
Güldenstädt's redstart Phoenicurus erythrogastrus
Blue whistling thrush Myophonus caeruleus
Blue rock thrush Monticola solitarius
Desert wheatear Oenanthe deserti
Red-fronted serin Serinus pusillus
Common rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus
Great rosefinch Carpodacus rubicilla
Plain mountain finch Leucosticte nemoricola
Grey wagtail Motacilla cinerea
Masked wagtail Motacilla alba personata
Citrine wagtail Motacilla citreola
White wagtail Motacilla alba
Red-billed chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
Alpine chough Pyrrhocorax graculus
Common raven Corvus corax
Eurasian golden oriole Oriolus oriolus
Lesser whitethroat Curruca curruca
Brown dipper Cinclus pallasii
Common chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
Greenish warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides
Horned lark Eremophila alpestris
House sparrow Passer domesticus
Rock bunting Emberiza cia
Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria
Brown accentor Prunella fulvescens
Radde's accentor Prunella ocularis
Long-tailed shrike Lanius schach
White-eared bulbul Pycnonotus leucotis
Bearded vulture Gypaetus barbatus
Himalayan vulture Gyps himalayensis
Eurasian sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
Common kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos
Chukar partridge Alectoris chukar
Himalayan snowcock Tetraogallus himalayensis
Snow pigeon Columba leuconota
European turtle dove Streptopelia turtur
Common sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Little stint Calidris minuta
Common cuckoo Cuculus canorus
Common hawk-cuckoo Hierococcyx varius
Eurasian hoopoe Upupa epops
Common moorhen Gallinula chloropus

Reptiles

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Two species of reptiles are found here:[15][16]

Name of animal Scientific name Status Pictures
Himalayan agama Paralaudakia himalayana Common
Pakistani agama Laudakia pakistanica Common

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Bessarabov, G.Dmitriyevich; Allan, Nigel John Roger (18 October 2024). "Karakoram Range". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Step into serenity: Unveiling new ecotourism sites in northern Pakistan". iucn.org. IUCN. 10 June 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Khunjerab National Park" (PDF). icimod.org. International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  4. ^ Ashiq Ahmad Khan
  5. ^ "Khunjerab Pass". tourismdept.gbit.gov.pk. Tourism, Sports, Culture, Archaeology & Museums Department. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  6. ^ Kemf 1993, p. 141
  7. ^ a b "Khunjerab National Park". fweb.gov.pk. Forest, Wildlife & Environment Department Government of Gilgit-Baltistan. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  8. ^ Kalland & Bruun 1995, p. 108
  9. ^ a b Kalland & Bruun 1995, p. 109
  10. ^ Kalland & Bruun 1995, p. 110
  11. ^ Khan 2008
  12. ^ a b Imtiaz, Ayesha (4 October 2022). "The world's highest ATM: Pakistan's mountaintop bank machine". BBC. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  13. ^ "Rare footage of snow leopard cubs spotted in Khunjerab Park released". Dawn. 24 October 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  14. ^ Knudsen 1999
  15. ^ a b c Qureshi, Rahmatullah (April 30, 2011). "FIRST REPORT ON THE BIODIVERSITY OF KHUNJERAB NATIONAL PARK, PAKISTAN". Researchgate.net. Pakistan Journal of Botany. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  16. ^ a b c Mir, Shabbir (April 8, 2013). "Protecting wildlife: Khunjerab National Park's management plan reviewed". tribune.com.pk. Tribune. Retrieved April 5, 2024.

Works cited

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  • Ashiq Ahmad Khan. "Khunjerab National Park". World Wildlife Fund. Archived from the original on February 4, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  • Kalland, Arne; Bruun, Ole (1995), Asian perceptions of nature: a critical approach, Surrey: Curzon, ISBN 0-7007-0290-3
  • Kemf, Elizabeth (1993), The Law of the Mother: Protecting Indigenous Peoples in Protected Areas, Earthscan, p. 296, ISBN 1-85383-167-0
  • Khan, Omayma (2008-07-01). "The One That Got Away". World Wildlife Fund. Archived from the original on 2012-04-06. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
  • Knudsen, Are John (1999). "Conservation and Controversy in the Karakoram: Khunjerab National Park, Pakistan". Journal of Political Ecology. 56 (1).
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36°35′13″N 75°23′59″E / 36.58700332°N 75.39986078°E / 36.58700332; 75.39986078

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