Wildlife of Pakistan
Pakistan protects about 30 national parks and more than 100 wildlife sanctuaries across habitats that run from the Karakoram to mangrove swamp. The national animal is the markhor, a wild goat that recovered from near-extinction through community conservation in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This cluster covers parks and species.
Wildlife pages give population estimates, protected status and where an animal can realistically be seen. Flagship species include the snow leopard, Indus river dolphin, Himalayan brown bear, houbara bustard and green sea turtle.
Quick facts
- National animal
- Markhor
- National parks
- About 30
- Indus dolphin population
- About 2,000, endangered
What this section covers
- National parks
Deosai, Khunjerab, Hingol, Central Karakoram, Kirthar
- High-altitude species
Snow leopard, markhor, ibex, Marco Polo sheep
- River and marine species
Indus dolphin, mahseer, green turtle
- Desert and plains species
Houbara bustard, chinkara, Sindh ibex
- Conservation
Community trophy hunting quotas and park management
In this section
National parks of PakistanPakistan has more than 30 national parks, ranging from Hingol in Balochistan at about 6,190 square kilometres, the largest, to Deosai in Gilgit-Baltistan at about 3,000 square kilometres and Ayubia in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 33 square kilometres. Central Karakoram National Park protects roughly 10,000 square kilometres of high mountain terrain.
Endangered and flagship speciesPakistan's flagship species include the markhor, the national animal, the snow leopard, the Indus river dolphin and the Balochistan black bear. The Indus dolphin is one of the world's rarest freshwater cetaceans, with a population estimated at fewer than 2,000, concentrated between the Chashma and Kotri barrages.
Detailed pages
Individual pages for these topics are being researched and written. The overview above is complete and sourced; continue with the Pakistan index or the related sections below.
Key dates and milestones
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1972 | Kirthar National Park established, Pakistan's first |
| 1975 | Khunjerab National Park created to protect snow leopard and Marco Polo sheep |
| 1993 | Community trophy-hunting programmes begin in Gilgit-Baltistan |
| 2015 | Markhor downlisted from endangered to near threatened by the IUCN |
Practical notes
- Deosai in Gilgit-Baltistan is open roughly late June to September; snow closes it the rest of the year.
- Snow leopard sightings are rare; markhor and ibex are regularly seen in Chitral Gol and Khunjerab.
- Community conservancies keep about 80 percent of trophy-hunting fees, which funds local wildlife protection.
Where in Pakistan
Gilgit-Baltistan · Balochistan · Sindh · Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Frequently asked questions
- What is the national animal of Pakistan?
- The markhor, a wild goat with corkscrew horns found in Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Community conservation lifted it off the endangered list in 2015.
- How many national parks does Pakistan have?
- About 30 national parks and more than 100 wildlife sanctuaries and game reserves, covering habitats from the Karakoram to the Indus delta mangroves.
- Are there snow leopards in Pakistan?
- Yes. An estimated 200 to 420 snow leopards live in the Karakoram, Himalaya, Hindu Kush and Pamir ranges, mainly in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral.