Wetlands of Pakistan

Contents:
Importance of wetlands of Pakistan in the national and international context.
Types of wetlands in Pakistan with respect to area.
Most significant wetlands of Pakistan,
Four major wetland complexes /demonstration sites of Pakistan categorized under WWF-Pakistan Wetland Program (PWP).
Nineteen Internationally recognized Ramsar sites of Pakistan

1. Wetlands of Pakistan Presented To: Dr. By Saleha Mahmood PhD Scholar at SDSC, GCU Course: Wetland Management

2. Wetlands of Pakistan - An Overview National Context International Context

3. Wetlands of Pakistan: - An Overview National 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

4. 1967: Meaning and significance of Pakistan wetlands for the first time was noticed by international community 23 rd 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

5. 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

6. 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 Protected P: Protected NK: Not Known

7. Out of 112 important sites 30 are located in Sindh Out of 19 Ramsar sites of Pakistan, 10 are located in Sindh

8. Major Wetland Complexes of Pakistan Four Major W etland C omplexes: North-Western Alpine Wetlands C omplex (NAWC) S alt Range W etlands C omplex (SRWC) Central Indus Wetland Complex (CIWC) Makran Coast Wetlands C omplex ( MCWC)

9. 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.

10. 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

11. Gilgit Baltistan and Alpine Wetlands Complex

12. 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

13. 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)

14. Plant species of NAWC Myricaria elegans Hippophae rhamnoids Festuca altaica Salix viminalis

15. Golden marmot Marco polo sheep

16. 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.

17. 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

18. Sr. Name Province District Status 1. Kallar kahar Punjab Chakwal Wildlife sanctuary 2. Khabbeki Punjab Khushab Wildlife sanctuary 3. Ucchali Punjab Khushab Ramsar site 4. Jhalar Punjab Khushab Not Protected 5. Namal Lakes Punjab 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

19. 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

20. Serious damage to wetland and associated biodiversity Indus 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

21. Sarus Crane (Threatened Bird taxa in CIWC) CIWC is a principal flyway for migrant bird species Migration 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

22. 4. Makran Coastal Wetland Complex (MCWC) Extending westwards along Balochistan’s Makran Coast from the Basol River to Jiwani on the border with Iran

23. Makran Coastal Wetland Complex (MCWC) Internationally recognized by RC Bureau Sr. Name Province District Status 1. Akara Dam B A L O C H I S T A N M A K R A N Not Protected 2. Astola Sea Mount Not Protected 3. Jiwani Estuary Not Protected 4. Kalmat Khor Not Protected 5. Astola Island Wildlife Sanctuary

24. Biodiversity of MCWC Corals Sea grass 10 species of marine cetaceans Mangrove swamps Threatened marine turtles Endangered marsh crocodiles Migratory birds

25. 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 length Most 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

26. Jiwani Coastal W etland C omplex It is located around the Delta of Dasht river in Balochistan which spreads over an area of 4,600 hectares. Thousands of migratory water birds Jiwani 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 R idley Endangered species

27. Mangrove specie: Avicennia marina

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

29. 2PK009 Astola (Haft Talar) Island, Balochistan

30. 2PK009 Astola (Haft Talar) Island, Balochistan Astola Island Sea Anemone

31. Chashma Barrage

32. Deh Akro -II Desert Wetland Complex, Sindh

33. 2PK007, Drigh Lake, Sindh

34. Migratory Water Fowl Birds Drigh Lake , Bird fauna Sindh Black crowned Night Heron

35. 2PK008, Haleji Lake, Sindh

36. Waterfowl breeding facility at Haleji Lake Asia’s largest Bird Sanctuary

37. 2PK010 Hub Dam, Sindh, Balochistan

38. 2PK018, Indus Delta, Sindh, Mangroves of I ndus D elta

39. 2PK011, Indus Dolphin Reserve

40. 2PK012, Jiwani coastal wetland, Balochistan Mangrove tree nursery Mangrove tree plantation

41. 2PK013, Jubho Lagoon, Sujawal District, Sindh Delmatian pelicans

42. 2PK006, Kinjhar Lake, Thatta District, Sindh

43. 2PK014, Miani Hor , Lasbela District, Balochistan

44. 2PK015 Nurri Lagoon, Badin District, Sindh

45. 2PK016 Ormara Turtle Beaches, Balochistan

46. 2PK019 Runn of Kutch, Sindh World Largest S alt D esert

47. 2PK004 Tanda Dam, Kohat District, KPK

48. 2PK003 Taunsa Barrage, Punjab Taunsa barrage wildlife sanctuary

49. 2PK001 Thanedar Wala , Bannu District, KPK Thanedar wala Game Reserve

50. 2PK005 Ucchali Complex, Khushab District, Punjab