Endangered Animals in Pakistan (Photo: Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty Images )
Sandwiched between Iran, India and Afghanistan, Pakistan is a mountainous country bordered by both the Himalaya and Hindu Kush mountain ranges as well as the Arabian Sea. Rich in ecosystem diversity, Pakistan is home to several rare and endangered animals as of 2011. Such wildlife are threatened not only by human overpopulation and habitat loss but also by the very landscape of the country. Physical barriers like the Himalayas cause small populations of animals to become isolated. Such animals often evolve into a separate species found nowhere else and is, therefore, naturally endangered.
Perhaps the best known of Pakistan's endangered mammals is the snow leopard, which makes its home in the mid-level elevations of the Himalayas. Threatened by poaching and loss of habitat, the snow leopard is iconic among endangered species in the Himalayan Range. In the lower subtropical regions of Pakistan, small populations of tigers still exist but are extremely rare in the country. Other endangered land mammals in Pakistan include: the Asian elephant; markhor, a goat-like creature that is the country's national animal; hog deer, Asiatic wild ass; woolly flying squirrel; Kashmir muskdeer; and the fishing cat.
The bird most at risk of extinction in Pakistan is the red-headed vulture. Another vulture species found in the region, the Egyptian vulture is also globally endangered. Three birds that are endangered in neighboring India, the great Indian bustard, lesser florican and Baer's pochard, might no longer be found in Pakistan. One aquatic species, the greater adjutant, is for practical purposes extinct in Pakistan though it might still be found in neighboring countries. Its long life and wide range make a comeback possible in the region. Another, the white-headed duck, maintains a population stronghold in Pakistan as it declines in other countries.
Two species of sawfish, the knifetooth and narrowsnout, as well as the Pondicherry and Ganges sharks are critically endangered in Pakistan. Several other saltwater species are endangered in the area of coastal Pakistan. The scalloped hammerhead, squat-headed hammerhead and broadfin sharks have been overfished for use in the shark-fin trade. The longheaded eagle ray is also endangered because of fishing.
One freshwater species of fish, Glyptothorax kashmirensis, found only in the Jhelum River is in imminent danger of extinction. A popular Himalayan game species, the golden mahseer, is overfished and has seen its breeding grounds succumb to human development. Despite its status as the most common species of mahseer in the Himalayas, its existence is endangered.
South Asian river dolphins are divided into two distinct subspecies: the Ganges river dolphin and the Indus river dolphin. The Indus river dolphin is endemic to Pakistan and is under extreme pressure from loss of habitat and damming and overfishing. The other endangered marine mammal in Pakistan waters is the blue whale, which is the largest creature on Earth.
The gharial, a long-snouted crocodilian, is the most-endangered reptile in the country. Found only in the Indus River and its tributaries, Gharials are nearly extinct in Pakistan. The other endangered reptile species native to Pakistan are both turtles. The green sea turtle is also globally endangered. In Pakistan, loss of nesting sites to development and eggs to domestic species like dogs pose the greatest threat to green turtles. A freshwater species, the narrow-headed softshell turtle is also endangered in Pakistan's rivers. No amphibians are endangered in Pakistan.