1. No category

Endangered Species Voice
Weekly Bulletin
Vol: 1 NO: 11
October 2014
BY:
SANGAT DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION
Endangered Species Voice: Sindh-Pakistan Weekly Monitoring Bulletin 2014
1. Deh Akro-II Desert
Wetland Complex is
located in District
Benazirabad
(Nawabshah) Sindh,
Pakistan
patches of irrigated agricultural fields lying
adjacent to the desert. Deh Akro-II wetland
fauna includes waterbirds, crocodiles,
otters and fish. In 1988, the wetland was
declared a Wildlife Sanctuary. Its total area
is 20,500 ha.
Deh Akro-II Wildlife Sanctuary is
considered internationally important, and
the wetlands complex was declared as
Ramsar on 5 November 2002, It represents
the example of a natural inland wetland
Deh Akro-II desert wetland complex is
eco-system consist of 38 lakes and is a
located in district Shaheed Benazirabad
unique desert habitat
(Nawabshah). It is a
which supports large
The IUCN Red List of
natural
wetlands
variety of fauna and
complex comprising 32
Threatened Species
flora species mainly
lakes and a complex of
desert and wetland
four
major
habitats
 Marsh
crocodile
habitats. Many rare and
types, desert, wetland,
(Crocodylus
palustris),
endangered
wildlife
marsh and agricultural
Status: Vulnerable A1a,
species also breed in this
lands.
The
wetland
C2a ver. 2.3
area.
complex has a unique
 Houbara
bustard
The plant species found
example
of
desert
(Chlamydotis
undulata),
in the sanctuary include
wetland ecosystem that
Status:
Vulnerable
Prosopis
cineraria,
hosts a variety of rare
A2bcd+3bcd+4bcd
Prosopis
juliflora,
and endangered wildlife
ver. 3.1
Acacia
jacquemontii,
species. Deh Akro-II
 Marbled
teal
Acacia nilotica, Aerva
wetland supports more
(Marmaronetta
javanica,
Salvadora
than 18 species of
angustirostris),
Status:
oleoides,
mammals, 16 species of
Vulnerable
Capparisdecidua, Cassia
reptiles, 14 species of
A2cd+3cd+4cd ver. 3.1
sp,
Calligonum
fish, and 101 species of
 White-eyed
pochard
polygonoides,
birds and regularly
(Anthya nyroca) Status:
Euphorbia
prostrata,
supports over 20,000
Near
Threatened
Saccharum spontaneum,
waterbirds. This site also
ver. 3.1
Saccharum bengalensis,
supports
a
small
Tamarix
aphylla,
population of marsh crocodiles. It is an
Zizyphus
maauritiana,
Zizyphus
important feeding and spawning ground
nummularia, Alhagi maurorum, Indigofera
for several indigenous fish species. The
sp., Phyla nodiflora, Typha domingensis,
desert is characterised by sand dunes
Tpypa elephantina, Achyranthes aspera,
with well developed herbs/shrubs and
Calotropis procera, and Tamarix indica.
trees. The agricultural land comprises
Endangered Species Voice: Sindh-Pakistan Weekly Monitoring Bulletin 2014
Reed vegetation and Tamarix spp can be
observed at the margins of these lakes.
The lakes support a good population of
waterfowl,
marsh
crocodiles,
otters
and fishes. About
1% of the global
population of the
threatened marbled
teal breeds in these
lakes in May to July.
The water levels of
these lakes increase
and decrease due to
the fluctuations in
the water levels of
Jamrau and Nara
canals. Low rainfall
has a significant
impact on these wetlands. Some of the
wetland flora species are Farsetia
hamiltonii, Limeton indicum, Tribulus
longipetalus, Cynodon dactylon and
Stipagrostis plumose.
Noteworthy fauna
Important wildlife species in the
sanctuary area can be classified as
follows:
Rare: Desert cat (Felis lybica), Fishing cat
(Felis viverrina), Darter or Snake bird
(Anhinga
melanogaster
pennant),
Garganey (Anas querquedula), Spoonbill
(Platalea leucorodia), Black ibis (Pseudibis
papillosa).
Endangered: Marsh crocodile (Crocodylus
palustris), Houbara bustard (Chlamydotis
undulata), Marbled teal (Marmaronetta
angustirostris),
White-eyed
pochard
(Anthya nyroca).
Abundant: Grey partridge (Francolinus
pondicerianus),
Black
partridge
(Francolinus francolinus), Mallard (Anas
platyrhynchos), Pintail (Anas acuta),
Gadwall (Anas strepera), Common coot
(Fulica atra), Indian moorhen (Gallinula
chloropus), Black-winged stilt (Himantopus
himantopus), Shoveler (Anas clypeata ),
Little egret (Egretta garzetta), Intermediate
egret (Egretta intermedia), Indian pond
heron (Ardeola grayii), Grey heron (Ardea
cinera), Redshank (Tringa totanus), Indian
roller (Coracias benghalensis), Glossy ibis
(Plegadis falcinellus), Common pochard
(Aythya ferina), Common teal (Anas crecca).
Marsh crocodile Marsh (or Mugger)
crocodile has been declared an endangered
species. Previously, Muggers and Gavials
inhabited Nara canal (Old Hakra River) and
its tributaries, but after the emerging of
these wetlands through seepage from Nara
canal during the early 1950s, crocodiles
have taken refuge in these lakes and are
now breeding successfully. Gavial is now
extant from Nara canal and from the wild
in Pakistan since 1976. Nara canal has a
crocodile population of about 200-250,
Endangered Species Voice: Sindh-Pakistan Weekly Monitoring Bulletin 2014
while the estimated population of
crocodiles in the wetland complex of Deh
Akro-II Wildlife Sanctuary is believed to
be between 550-600 animals. These
crocodiles permanently inhabit these
lakes year round.
 The wetland supports diverse
fauna and flora, mainly desert
and wetland habitat. This
unique
desert
wetland
ecosystem supports more than
18 species of mammals, 16
species of reptiles including
threatened Marsh Crocodile, 14
species of fishes and 101 species
of birds.
 The resident and migratory
populations of all the species are
dependent of this wetland
system for survival in different
time of their life
It regularly supports more than 20
thousand waterfowls and other birds of
different species. (Please refer to Sindh
Wildlife Waterfowl Counts 1992-2000.)

 This wetland complex supports 6%
of the relevant bio-geographic
population of Marbled teal.
(Marmaronetta angustirostris). More
than 300 birds were count regularly
each year and some also breeding in
the wetland complex.
 This wetland complex supports a
significant proportion of species
such as Dambro/Rohu (Labeo rohita),
Thaila
(Catla
catla),
Morakha
(Cirrhinus mrigala), Singhara (Mystus
seenghala), Malli/Jerki (Wallago attu),
Gandan (Natopterus notopterus) and
Dimmon (Ompok bimaculatus) which
are food source of Marsh Crocodile
and local resident communities. All
the fishes are totally dependent on
these wetlands as spawning
ground, for their food source
and as nursery.
The local community of Deh Akro-II
desert wetlands is poor and mostly
dependent on the natural resources of
wetlands for their livelihood purposes,
even these natural resources are not
sufficient enough for their livelihood
means in the long run.
Due to the unsustainable use by the
local community as well as by the
Endangered Species Voice: Sindh-Pakistan Weekly Monitoring Bulletin 2014
outsiders of the natural resources of Deh
Akro-II wetlands complex, have largely
degraded and diminished to the natural
Animal theft, however, was common at the
place, sources said, while the official in
charge of the facility told Dawn that an
inquiry into the issue had been ordered.
Last year two pythons — a 17-foot-long
reticulated python and a 12-foot-long
albino reticulated python — went
‘missing’ at Safari Park where they had
been brought from the zoo for a pet
show on Eid. The zoo administration
declared them dead only after keeping a
mysterious silence over the issue for
three months.
Both the zoo and Safari are managed by
the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.
habitats of the wetlands, which pose a
great threat to the wildlife of the area. The
local community and outside hunters
have now been potential threat to the
marsh crocodile and permanent and
migratory birds.
2. Five pelicans
Safari
Park
‘missing’
at
go
By Faiza Ilyas
KARACHI: Five pelicans have gone
‘missing’ during the Eid holidays at Safari
Park despite the fact that all pelicans kept
at the facility were pinioned to prevent
their flight, it emerged during a visit to
the Safari on Saturday.
Interestingly, the recently appointed
official in charge of Safari Park Mugheera
Qadri claimed that he had no report about
some pelicans being missing. “In fact I am
thankful to you for bringing this issue to
my knowledge,” he said, adding that an
inquiry had been ordered to ascertain the
facts.
Mr Qadri said three pelicans had recently
been separated from the flock for pinioning.
The surgical procedure was required every
two months as feathers were grown fast, he
explained. “I think the birds are being kept
in a clinic,” he said when asked about the
place where they were being kept for
pinioning. Safari Park, according to the
sources, had no facility for keeping animals
for medical treatment.
“I am not sure about the exact species the
birds belong to but I can tell you after
asking the staff concerned,” he said while
responding to a question about the pelican
species.
Endangered Species Voice: Sindh-Pakistan Weekly Monitoring Bulletin 2014
According to the sources, Safari Park’s
collection of pelicans rose to 21 last winter
after five of them attracted to its lake were
captured by its staff. Previously, the park
had received a donation of 16 birds — 10
dalmatian pelicans and six rosy pelicans.
All the 21 birds later were pinioned and
released into the lake.
While five of them died during the past
one year, the park is left with only 11
pelicans at present, raising questions
about at least five other pelicans which
are said to be missing.
The issue of donation of 16 pelicans to
Safari Park had also stirred a controversy,
for pelicans are protected under the Sindh
Wildlife Ordinance, 1972 and only a person
with a licence can keep the birds.
Sources in the wildlife department at that
time had stated that no permit for keeping
pelicans in captivity
had been issued
since
long.
The
donor,
however,
claimed that many of
the birds were either
donated
by
individuals
who
were
finding
it
difficult to manage
them or were born at
his farm.
Pelicans, according
to wildlife experts,
do not breed easily
as people generally
lack
the
basic
knowledge of their management and failed
to provide animals the right habitat.
“They are migratory birds and it has never
been heard that a local resident population
of the bird has developed at our lakes in the
interior of Sindh. The zoo gets these birds
from poachers. Only two baby pelicans
were said to have survived at the zoo in
two decades,” a senior zoo official told
Dawn.
Endangered Species Voice: Sindh-Pakistan Weekly Monitoring Bulletin 2014
According to the information available on
the internet, the rosy pelicans (Pelecanus
onocrotalus) also known as the great
white pelican, the eastern white pelican
or white pelican breeds from southeastern Europe through Asia and in
Africa in swamps and shallow lakes.
The dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus
crispus) breeds from south-eastern
Europe to India and China in swamps
and shallow lakes. This huge bird is the
largest of the pelicans and one of the
largest living bird species.
The diet of both species of pelicans
mainly consists of fish.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1137362/
five-pelicans-at-safari-park-go-missing
Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2014
About SANGAT
SANGAT
Development
Foundation
(SANGAT) is a not for profit and
nongovernmental organization entity
launched by a group of young
community development professionals,
conservationists,
academicians
and
environmentalists.
SANGAT is engaged in advocacy,
campaigning, community awareness,
mass
mobilization
for
wetlands
rehabilitation and conservation of fauna
and flora of Deh Akro-11 desert wetlands
complex Nawabshah, Sindh, Pakistan.
SANGAT IS MEMBER OF:
1. Living Lakes Network
http://www.globalnature.org/LIVI
NG-LAKES/Asia/Deh-AkroWetlands
2. World Wetlands Network (WWN)
http://new.wwt.org.uk/deh-akroiiPakistan
Endangered Species Voice: Sindh-Pakistan Weekly Monitoring Bulletin 2014
3-SANGAT Partners
Endangered Species Voice: Sindh-Pakistan Weekly Monitoring Bulletin 2014