Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park

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Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park
ہزارگنجی-چلٹن نیشنل پارک
Pakistan location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park
LocationBalochistan
Nearest cityQuetta
Coordinates 30°13′12″N66°43′48″E / 30.22000°N 66.73000°E / 30.22000; 66.73000
Area15,555 ha (60.06 sq mi)
Established1980
Governing bodyBalochistan Wildlife Department

Hazarganji Chiltan National Park is a national park in the Mastung District of western Balochistan Province of Pakistan. It lies between Chiltan on its west and Hazarganji on the east. The park was established in 1980 to provide the habitat to rare Chiltan ibexes found in the area. [1]

Contents

It was established in 1980 and covers 325,000 acre of land located close to the Koh-i-Chiltan mountain in Quetta's outskirt. [2]

The park is located in the Sulaiman Mountains, with desert and forest habitats, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of the city of Quetta.

Etymology

The name comes from the travelling route between the mountains called "Hazarganji", which means (of a thousand treasures) in native language as it was a historical passage for the Greco-Bactrian, the Mongols, the Scythians and migrating hordes of Baloch tribes. [3]

Biodiversity

The biodiversity of this park comprises 30 species of mammals (9 species of large mammals and 21 species of small mammals), 120 species of avifauna (36 resident and 84 migratory) and 30 species of reptiles. [1]

Flora

The trees in the forests include Pashtun Juniper (Juniperus macropoda), pistachio, almond, and ash trees.

Fauna

The fauna comprises about 300-400 rare Sulaiman Markhor and around 800 Chiltan ibex survive within the park boundaries. [2] Few urials still survives in the western slopes between 1,500m to 2,100m. Other fauna includes Indian wolf, striped hyena, Baluchistan leopard, caracal, common jackal and Indian crested porcupine. Birds includes the very rare Houbara bustard, griffon vulture, Egyptian vulture, crested honey buzzard (winters only), laggar falcon, peregrine falcon, common kestrel, Eurasian sparrowhawk (winters only), Indian scops owl, Indian cuckoo, European bee-eater (breeding only), chukar partridge, European nightjar (breeding/summer only), long-billed pipit, Eastern Orphean warbler, variable wheatear, blue rock thrush, whinchat, white-browed bush chat and Lichtenstein's desert finch and reptiles are also found here likes of monitor lizards, Russell's viper, saw-scaled vipers and spiny-tailed lizards. [3]

Species

Mammals

Total 30 species of mammals include: [3]

Name of animalScientific nameDistribution
Afghan hedgehog Hemiechinus auritus megalotis Chiltan, Hazarganji, Kharkhasa
Brandt's hedgehog Paraechinus hypomelasHazarganji, Kharkhasa
Balochistan short-tailed shrew Crocidura gmeliniChiltan, Hazarganji, Kharkhasa
Zarudny's rock shrew Crocidura zarudnyiHazarganji, Kharkhasa
Greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinumHazarganji
Indian wolf Canis lupus pallipesChiltan, Hazarganji
Asiatic jackal Canis aureusChiltan, Hazarganji, Kharkhasa
Red fox Vulpes vulpesBibi Nala, Chiltan, Duzchur, Hazarganji, Hinjeeri Nala, Ziarat Nala
Caracal Caracal caracalChiltan, Hazarganji, Kharkhasa
Jungle cat Felis chausChiltan, Hazarganji, Hazarganji Reserve forest, Kharkhasa
Beech marten Martes foinaChiltan, Hazarganji, Hazarganji Reserve forest, Kharkhasa
Marbled polecat Vormela peregusnaHazarganji, Kharkhasa
Striped hyena Hyaena hyaenaChiltan, Hazarganji, Kharkhasa
Chiltan ibex Capra aegagrus chialtanensisAll over the park
Cape hare Lepus capensisBibi Nala, Hazarganji, Ziarat Nala
Afghan pika Ochotona rufescensHazarganji Reserve forest
Grey dwarf hamster Cricetulus migratoriusChiltan, Hazarganji
Baluchi mouse-like hamster Calomyscus baluchiChiltan, Hazarganji, Kharkhasa
Small five-toed jerboa Allactaga elaterChiltan Hills, Hazarganji
Forest dormouse Dryomys nitedulaChiltan Reserve forest, Hazarganji, Kharkhasa
Indian crested porcupine Hystrix indicaChiltan, Hazarganji (1,800–2,500m)
Sundevall's jird Meriones crassusChiltan, Hazarganji
Persian jird Meriones persicusChiltan, Hazarganji
Libyan jird Meriones libycusChiltan, Hazarganji
Southern mole vole Ellobius fuscocapillusChiltan, Hazargani (1,900–2,400m)
Brown spiny mouse Mus saxicolaChiltan, Hazarganji
Black rat Rattus rattusMuseum and rest-house
Sand-colored soft-furred rat Millardia gleadowiHazarganji
House mouse Mus musculusChiltan, Hazarganji
Indian bandicoot rat Nesokia indicaBibi Nala, Hazarganji, Hinjeeri Nala, Ziarat Nala

Avifauna

Name of animalScientific nameDistributionType
Shikra Accipiter badiusNear rest-houseWV/SBV
Eurasian sparrowhawk Accipiter nisusChiltan, HazarganjiSBV
Black kite Milvus migransChiltan, HazarganjiSBV
Golden eagle Aquila chrysaetosSamtharR/WV
Tawny eagle Aquila rapaxChiltan, HazarganjiR
Bonelli's eagle Hieraaetus fasciatusHazarganji, KharkhasaR
Short-toed snake eagle Circaetus gallicusChiltan, Hazarganji, KharkhasaR
Bearded vulture Gypaetus barbatusChiltan, HazarganjiWV/R
Griffon vulture Gyps fulvusChiltanR
Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterusChiltanSBV
Cinereous vulture Aegypius monachusChiltanSBV/WV
Long-legged buzzard Buteo rufinus Chiltan, Hazarganji, KharkhasaWV
Hen harrier Circus cyaneusChiltan ForestR/WV
Common kestrel Falco tinnunculusChiltan, HazarganjiR/WV
Eurasian hobby Falco subbuteoChiltan, KharkhasaWV
Saker falcon Falco cherrugBibi Nala, KharkhasaWV
Peregrine falcon Falco peregrinusChiltan, HazarganjiSBV/WV
Merlin Falco columbariusChiltan, HazarganjiSBV/WV
See-see partridge Ammoperdix griseogularisBibi NalaR
Chukar partridge Alectoris chukarKangri NalaR
Houbara bustard Chlamydotis undulataHazarganji, Ziarat NalaWV/PM
White-tailed lapwing Chettusia leucuraChiltan, HazarganjiPM/SBV
Spotted sandgrouse Pterocles senegallusHazarganjiPM/WV
Rock dove Columba liviaBibi Nala, Hinjeeri Nala, Nulli NalaR
Common wood pigeon Columba palumbusBibi Nala, Hinjeeri Nala, Nulli NalaR
European turtle dove Streptopelia turturHazarganji NalaWV
Eurasian collared dove Streptopelia decaoctoHazarganji NalaR/SBV
Laughing dove Spilopelia senegalensisRest-houseR/SBV
Rose-ringed parakeet Psittacula krameriChiltan, HazarganjiSBV
Common cuckoo Cuculus canorusHazarganji, KharkhasaSB
Spotted owlet Athene bramaBibi Nala, ChiltanR
Eurasian eagle-owl Bubo buboKharkhasaR
Eurasian scops owl Otus scopsHazarganji, Ziarat NalaSBV
Pallid scops owl Otus bruceiChiltan, Hazarganji, KharkhasaSBV
European nightjar Caprimulgus europaeusKharkhasaSBV/WV
Common swift Apus apusChiltan, HazarganjiSBV
Little swift Apus affinisHazarganjiSBV
Alpine swift Apus melbaChiltan Forest, KharkhasaSBV
European bee-eater Merops apiasterNear rest-houseSBV
Asian green bee-eater Merops orientalisHazarganjiSBV
Eurasian hoopoe Upupa epopsStream bed of ChiltanSBV
Scaly-bellied woodpecker Picus squamatusChiltan, HazarganjiR
Hume's short-toed lark Calandrella acutirostrisChiltanSBV
Greater short-toed lark Calandrella brachydactylaChiltan ForestWV
Oriental skylark Alauda gulgulaHazarganjiR
Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitorChiltan, HazarganjiWV
Lesser whitethroat Sylvia currucaChiltan, HazarganjiWV
Bay-backed shrike Lanius vittatusChiltan, HazarganjiWV
Eurasian skylark Alauda arvensisChiltan Reserve forest, HazarganjiWV

Chiltan express

This train used to have a Quetta-Lahore route via Dera Ghazi Khan and Kot Adu Jn. This route opened in 1973, hence the Chiltan Express likely started operations on or after that year. Over the years the route of the Chiltan Express has been varied many times by running it between Quetta and Peshawar via Faisalabad, between Quetta and Rawalpindi via Lahore, and these days between Quetta and Lahore via Faisalabad.

References

  1. 1 2 "Studies on Bioecology and Fauna of Hazarganji Chiltan National Park and Development of Ecotourism in Protected Areas" (PDF). Research Gate. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  2. 1 2 Shah, Syed Ali (4 April 2017). "Quetta authorities thwart attempt to occupy Hazarganji national park". Dawn . Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 "Hazarganji Chiltan National Park". Wildlife of Pakistan. Wildlife of Pakistan. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
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