Pakistan doesn’t have a single lion, tiger, rhino

Islamabad, Nov 7 (IANS) Tiger, lion, rhinoceros and swamp deer are the four mammal species that have disappeared from Pakistan, reveal latest wildlife data that also indicate that many birds and animals are facing extinction in that country.

The News International reported Sunday that the four mammals known to have so far disappeared from Pakistan are the tiger (Panthera tigris), swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli), lion (Panthera leo) and the Indian one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis).

Four more species are also likely to vanish from the wildlife list. These include the Asiatic cheetah, Indian wild ass and hangul, show data posted by Wild Life of Pakistan on its website.

The major biological areas in Pakistan include Pamir-Karakoram highlands, Himalayan highlands, Antolia-Iranian desert, Indus-Ganges monsoon forest and Thar desert.

A list of threatened animals said 37 species and 14 sub-species of internationally threatened or near-threatened mammals are found in Pakistan.

The critically endangered mammals are the Balochistan black bear and the Chiltan goat.

The environment ministry provided details to the National Assembly that said out of 4,100 mammal species in the world, Pakistan is home to 188.

Syed Mehmood Nasir, a senior wildlife official, told the daily that they were taking measures in coordination with private experts to ensure survival of endangered species of birds and mammals.

‘Our officials are taking great pains to collect data and constitute policies for protection of endangered species of birds and mammals. Strict laws are being introduced to prevent illegal hunting across the country,’ he was quoted as saying.

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