Pakistan Habitat Guide

Pakistan is divided into five major geographical zones - the Thar desert and the arid lower Indus valley to the south; the Baluchistan plateau with average heights of about 300 to 900 metres in the west; the fertile Indus basin in the northeast; the barren mountain landscape of the northwest frontier and its irrigated valleys; the high snow covered mountains in the far north.

Consequently, there are wide regional variations in the vegetation and wildlife of Pakistan. Barring the forested slopes to the north, the landscape has a natural cover of wiry grass and shrubs. Plantations and fruit orchards form oases of greens in the arid landscape. The desert areas are almost totally stripped of vegetative cover, while the Indus basin is a green fertile stretch. The vegetation in the forested areas comprises of the oak, poplar, deodar, pine, maple and mulberry.

The northern mountain regions have a wealth of wild animals, including the brown bear, black Himalayan bear, ibex, wild sheep, leopards and the rare snow leopard. Other wild animals include the chinkara, black buck, neelgai and the famous green turtles of Karachi. Manchhar Lake in Sind is the natural habitat of water birds like the mallards, teals, shovellers, spoonbills, pochards, geese and wood ducks. Crocodiles, pythons and wild boar are found in the delta area while the fleet-footed gazelles inhabit desert regions. Jackals, foxes, wild cats and a variety of reptiles are found all over the country. Poaching and a lack of protected sanctuaries have put the wildlife of Pakistan in jeopardy.