Assess the presence, threats and human wildlife conflict of Indian Wolf and Striped hyena in Dera Ghazi Khan District

UmerWaqas, Deputy Director Wildlife Dera Ghazi Khan and Abdul Rauf

Project Duration: 12 Months(August 2015-July 2016)

Introduction

Wolf belongs to family canidae and two species of wolf are found in Pakistan. There is less information and scientific dataabout the distribution and population status of wolf species is available in Pakistan. Further, it is believed that wolf population is at the fast decline and vanishing from its known range in Pakistan. The present study funded by WWF-Pakistan through its Small Grants Programme aimed in collecting information regarding presence, issues, and threats and the pressure the Grey wolf (Canis lupus pallipes)and Striped hyena (Hyena hyaena) are facing regarding their availability of food and to account the incidents of attacks from these animals on the livestock of local people. Field surveys were conducted to collect direct and indirect evidences using questionnaires to assess the presence of wolf and hyena and their present status in foothills of Suleiman range particularly in Dera Ghazi Khan Area. The field work included sightings of pug marks and information about their dens. Incidents of attacks on livestock by wolves and hyena were also reported and documented.The study identified hotspots regarding the sightings of the animals, conflicts with communities and also explored possible management options.Striped hyena was not reported during the study, however some people stated that it is still present on Balochistan side but not from the project target area

Aims and objectives

  • Assess presence of the Indian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes) and striped hyena (Hyena hyaena) in selected potential sites of Dera Ghazi Khan District.
  • Collect and document direct and indirect evidences and relevant information on Indian wolf and Striped hyena
  • Determine the threats being faced to both animals especially related to human-wildlife conflict
  • Explore possible management options and suggest measures for the conservation of these species in the wild

Results and achievements

A family of wolf was reported in Village Jogiyani located at about 35km southwest of Dera Ghazi Khan Airport and 4km from Choti Bala. An incident of wolf killing by local people was reported in Kotha Jindoo town near Dajal Road. The site was visited and a skinned wolf was found. Similarly a female wolf along 4-5 cubs were reported in Khar Buzdar mountain belt near Ahmadani village of which female wolf along with 2-3 cubs were killed by local people, however, two cubs were found in the custody of local people that were rescued by the Punjab Wildlife and Parks Department and were transferred to Dera Ghazi Khan Zoo. Two groups of wolves are also reported and pug marks are observed during the surveys in Choti Bala area. The presence of wolf is also reported in Raikh belt, Kotha Jindoo-Sohrani Khosa, Basti Shah, Village Gadi Wala-Moza Ashraf and village Dhodak, Tehsil Taunsa. some people reported that Hyena is present in Balochistan side of the hills but it has not been confirmed andthere is no information available in support of presence of Hyena from project target area.

Lesson learnt

  • The duration of the project should be at least 2-3 years.
  • Support and information from local people is very important and helpful.
  • Sometimes local people do not report wolf killing incidents due to the fear of charges against them by Punjab Wildlife and Parks Department.
  • Wolves and their groups keep on changing their locations and travel a long distance very often.

Suggestions and recommendations

  • Further DNA studies should be conducted
  • Detailed surveys should be conducted and camera traps should be used to assess and monitor the populations.
  • Dialogue with local community involving Chief of Laghari, Khitran and Buzdar tribes should be undertaken and a CBO needs to be established for the protection and management of wildlife resources.
  • Social mobilization should be done through local politically influential people
  • Awareness sessions should be organized at the village level to educate the local people about the importance of wildlife.
  • Watch and Ward system should be established for the protection of animals
  • Livestock Insurance Scheme with the help of local people should be introduced

Baseline Surveys of the status of Butterflies in and around Lahore, Pakistan

Dr Farkhanda Manzoor, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore

Project Duration: 24 Months (September 2014-September 2016)

Introduction

Lahore is the home of many striking species of plants and animals in Pakistan but unfortunately it has lost many of its important and significant butterfly species, and this list will increase if the same climate change moves forward. Butterfly species with climate change are also in stress with land use change, environmental degradation, pollution and fragmentation. Climate is changing rapidly day by day.Butterflies act as indicators of climate change and these are often used to study the impact of climatic change because butterflies are sensitive to climate change. So butterflies may be the only practical means of assessing and evaluating the impact of climatic change/variables. Lahore has numerous delightful gardens and Parks which are home to numerous intriguing species. Fifteen sites will be surveyed to determine the status of butterflies in and around Lahore.

Aims and objectives

  • Determine the status of butterflies in and around the Lahore
  • Identify threats that butterflies face
  • Relationship between temperature, humidity and population of butterflies
  • Suggest measures to mitigate the threats like replacement of native trees with ornamental trees.

Results and achievements

A total of 31 butterfly species were observed and counted. Maximum number of species of butterflies was observed from Oasis Golf and Aqua resort, Nasir Bagh, Islamia Park and Racecourse Park. One species of butterfly known as Graphium euryplus mecisteus was also observed from Bagh-e- Jinnah and Lahore College, which was not found in Pakistan. There were two main predators of butterflies which were also observed. Black king crow and wild lizard were observed as main predators of butterflies. Other predators include rats, parasitic flies, toads, frogs, spiders and even monkeys. The details of species and their individuals observed at different sites are as follows:

  1. Lawrence Garden, 20 species and 3085 individuals
  2. Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, 19 species and 2669 individuals
  3. Iqbal Park, 17 species and 2329 individuals
  4. Race course park, 21 species and 2238 and individuals
  5. Nawaz Sharif park, 20 species and 2835 individuals
  6. Model Town Park, 18 species and 2209
  7. Shalimar Bagh, 18 species and 2519 individuals
  8. Nasir Bagh, 21 species and 3211individuals
  9. Riwaz Garden, 16 species and 2716 individuals
  10. Shahdara Bagh, 18 species and 2955 individuals
  11. Sukh Chayn Gardens, 18 species and 3124 individuals
  12. Hazuri Bagh, 18 species and 2675 individuals
  13. Islamia Park, 21 species and 3186 individuals
  14. Oasis Golf and Aqua Resort, 23 species and 3492 individuals
  15. Mochi Bagh, 20 species and 3231 individuals

Effect of climate on butterflies

•There was positive correlation between climatic factors and number of butterflies

•In twenty years, the precipitation has decreased a lot and this has impacted the plant species which in turn is responsible for butterfly loss.

•Similarly, we can observe shifts in climate change as winter extending to February.

•This climate shift is affecting most of plant species, disturbing butterflies egg laying patterns and larvae hatching.

•The intensity of extreme weather conditions has also affected many species.

•The year 2005 which was world warmest year, had the mean average temperature of -5.5 for February which is the minimum lowest in past twenty years in any month.

• The larvae of butterflies are associated with plants but cause only little damage to the hosts.

•The adults act as incidental, wild pollinators and help in pollination of many native plants.

•The larvae as well as adults are food for many predators like lizards and birds.

•The butterfly diversity in an ecosystem tells how much healthy it is, as butterflies are very sensitive to any change in the environment

Suggestions and recommendations

•First of all the most important thing is to organize continuous dialogue between climate scientists and biodiversity scientists to translate or interpret climate data into impacts on biodiversity.

•Secondly it is necessary to integrate and assimilate data and knowledge from local communities, including citizen based observation, about ecosystem responses.

•Development of butterfly parks and community awareness should be implemented.

•Minimize localized human-caused disturbances e.g. nitrogen addition, pollution and fragmentation that hinder the ability of species or ecosystems to withstand climate events.

Study of the status of threatened medicinal plant Guggul (Commiphora wightii) and community based conservation in Kund Malir area, Balochistan

Village Conservation Committee Kund Malir, Kund Malir

Project duration: 24 Months (1st April, 2014 to 30 March, 2016)

Introduction

The project aims to assess the status of Guggul, which is an acclaimed medicinal plant, in the Kund Malir area in District Lasbela along Balochistan Coast. The area is known for Guggul abundance on rocky façade which are harvested by locals as well as suppliers of medicinal plants to hakims based mainly in Karachi and other part of the country. In the last decade a large number of suppliers have been observed to harvest resin, seeds and even whole plants resulting in apparent decrease in Guggul in the area. Considering the alarming situation Scientific Committee of WWF-Pakistan has funded this study.

Aims and objectives

  • Survey for the assessment of the population of Guggul on the southern and south-western Slopes of Kund Malir area using standard plant survey techniques.
  • An assessment of the threats being faced by Guggul in the Kund Malir Area
  • Strengthening of local conservation methods to control indiscriminate harvesting of Guggul in Kund Malir and its vicinity.
  • Awareness campaign in the villages for protection of this endangered plant species

Results and achievements

Survey for the assessment of the population of Guggul in Kund Malir area

The dense population of Guggul was observed on the façade of southern and south-western slopes of Kund Malir area

An assessment of the threats being faced by Guggul in the Kund Malir Area

The major threats are:

  1. Extraction of resin
  2. Grazing by livestock
  3. Smothering by mesquite
  4. Attack of termites
  5. Damage caused by wild animals
  6. Drought
  7. Climate condition
  8. Fire
  9. Slow growth

Strengthening of local conservation methods to control indiscriminate harvesting of Guggul in Kund Malir and its vicinity:

Suppliers of medicinal plants to hakims based mainly in Karachi and other part of the country are usually influential or do this work in connivance of some locals. In order to protect the natural population in areas with dense population, a system of community guard was established. For the protection of wildlife, a system of community guards has already been established in the Kund Malir area with the support of authorities of Hingol National Park. Under the project, services on community guards was established during peak extraction (of resin) season. These guards were trained and required to patrol main areas in the Kund Malir area. These guards have played an active role in stopping the extraction of resin in Haji Washi and Badeen Goth during 2014 season.

Awareness campaign in the villages for protection of this endangered plant species

In order to make the communities aware of the importance of Guggul a series of meeting/workshops/melas were organized under the project. Project envisages holding ofcommunity meeting (11), workshops (2), mela (2) and female workshop (2). These meeting were to be held in different villages in the Kund Malir Area. However main meetings including male workshops, female workshops and melas were organized at Kund Malir Community Hall which is a centralized location in the Chief of the Area (Haji Mir Abdullah Village). For the distribution among the participants a brochure was published and circulated among the participants.

Suggestions and recommendations

  • A survey of medicinal plants occurring in Kund Malir and other coastal areas may be conducted.
  • Conservation of endangered plants may be included in Wildlife and Forest Acts.
  • Gene bank for medicinal plants may be established to ensure that endangered species may not be lost.
  • Trade of resins from Guggul and other medicinal plants may be monitored with hakims and other traditional medicine stores/outlets.

Lesson learnt

Project was able to generate important information about a threatened plant whose population although dwindling in most of the area in Sindh and Balochistan, but still in healthy condition in the Kund Malir. It was also observed that emphasis is usually being paid for the conservation of wild animals and little or no attention is being paid for the conservation of plant species whose population is threatened. Communities are well aware of the importance of these plants but because of their limited resources they cannot undertake any conservation activities. The traditional knowledge about the medicinal plants like Guggulis not being transferred from older generation to new generation which needs to be supported by conservation organizations like WWF-Pakistan. Community meetings can play a major role in dissemination of information about such threatened plants and even animals. This project was a success because communities were taken on board at all stages. The project taken on board womenfolk of the area because shepherds are mostly women and they have been advised not to take their livestock in the area which have dense growth of Guggul.

Helminth threat to wild sheep and goats of protected areas from domestic herds

Sher Ahmed. Federal Government Degree College, Quetta Cantt

Project Duration: 12 Months (01 September 2014 – 31 August 2015)

Introduction

Parasitism is a host-parasite relationship, in which host behaves as an environment to its inhabitant, the parasites. As a field, parasitology encompasses organisms living in other organisms. Effects of parasites may be variable, depending upon intensity of parasite and site of infection. Though, parasites are comparatively less lethal than viruses and bacteria, but still they contribute to 3.7% of 833 known species extinctions, and are posing a further extinction threat to 24% of extant mammal species, majority being carnivores and artiodactyls.Effect of parasites is more obvious in cases when other environmental stresses and bacteria collaborate against host. Majority of Helminth are found to be common between wild and domestic sheep goats. In Pakistan, most of the parasitological research is focused on domestic animals. Only one remarkable report on helminthosis ofchinkara and blackbuck was found by Project Executant (PE).The current Project addresses presence of Helminth parasites in domestic and wild ruminants of two regions, Chiltan National Park (CNP) in Quetta, and Torghar Game Reserve (TGR) in QillaSaifullah.

Aims and objectives

  • To determine diversity and prevalence of helminth fauna infecting wild and domestic sheep/goats of target areas, evaluating the possibility of parasite transmission between the two groups of ruminants.
  • To find out possible reasons and type of wild animal more susceptible to parasitic infections
  • To compare Government and private protected areas, in preventing parasitic diseases from the rare wild species.

Results and achievements

The present study was based on 4 seasons and is the first to report protozoan and helminth infections in markhor, urial and Chiltan wild goat of Pakistan. All the parasites present in wild animals were also prevalent in domestic animals of the areas. Hence, it is strongly established that transmission of parasites does take place from domestic to wild animals. A total of 11 protozoan parasites (Eimeria)and 9 helminth parasites were seen in wild and domestic animals. The study indicates that parasites of domestic animals could infect wild animals, as many parasites were common between the two populations of animals. Helminths that were common between wild and domestic sheep and goats were Moniezia spp., Trichuris spp. Nematodirus spp. and P. rufescens. Among species of Eimeria, all but E. crandallis and E. parva commonly infected wild and domestic animals. Just as poaching by hunters, or grazing of rangeland by domestic animals are limiting factors to population of wild animals, parasites of domestic animals are formidable to the population of markhor, urial and Chiltan wild goats.

Suggestions and Recommendations

Important scientific issues recommended for research, as per PE’s vision:

  • Genetic study of markhor, urial and Chiltan wild goats.
  • Viral, bacterial, fungal, protozoa and arthropod diseases of these wild animals.
  • Parasitological studies based upon molecular tools.
  • Study of wildlife Eimeria with high resolution microscope and camera
  • Molecular studies, especially PCR and gene sequencing of Eimeria of domestic and wildlife origin.
  • A thorough survey of fasciolosis in domestic livestock is necessary for the whole province
  • Survey regarding terrestrial snail diversity
  • A survey of slaughtered and trophy hunted animals is necessary to achieve proglottids or scolices of Moniezia worms, for detailed morphology, and also for molecular studies.
  • There is a strong need to work on the taxonomy of intermediate host of Moniezia parasite, i.e., oribatid mites of Torghar and Chiltan.
  • Collection and taxonomic description of adult Trichuris from small and large ruminants of Balochistan is necessary.
  • Studies based on polymerase chain reaction techniques on Nematodirus and Marshallagia of domestic and wildlife origin are rapid, reliable, noninvasive, and scientifically valuable
  • A survey addressing diversity and prevalence of Oesophagostomum species in large and small domestic animals of Pakistan.
  • There is need to study parasites of free-living primates and wild ungulates of north-eastern areas, as Islamabad, Murree and Kashmir etc., so that taxonomy of oesophagostomes and possibly other zoonotic parasites could be determined.

Distribution, Population Status and Habitat Evaluation of Punjab Urial (Ovisvigneipunabiensis) in Punjab, Pakistan