Hingol National Park

Geography

Hingol National Park is located along the Makran coast in southwestern Balochistan Province, southwestern Pakistan. It lies within sections of Lasbela District, Gwadar District, and Awaran District. The Gulf of Oman of the Arabian Sea are to the south. The provincial capital of Quetta is approximately 717 km. Provincial Capital of Sindh is 190 km to the southeast on the coast.

Flora

Hingol National Park contains a variety of topographical features and habitats, varying from arid subtropical forest in the north to arid montane in the west. Large areas of the park are covered with drift sand and can be classified as coastal semi desert. The park includes the estuary of the Hungol River which supports a significant diversity of bird and fish species.

Some 250 plant species were recorded in the initial surveys including 7 yet undescribed species. Many more species are yet to be collected.

Fauna

Hingol National Park is known to support at least 35 species of mammals, 65 species of amphibians and reptiles and 185 species of birds. The park forms an excellent habitat to wild Sindh ibex, Baluchistan urial and chinkara gazelle. Ibex is found in all steep mountain ranges and numerous in the Hinglaj and Rodani Kacho Mountain areas. Total population is estimated over 3000.

List of Faunas at Hingol National Park:

Mammals

Sind leopard

Indian fox

Jungle cat

Pakistan sand cat

Striped hyena

Golden jackal

Sindh ibex

Urial

Chinkara

Honey badger

Indian pangolin

long-eared hedgehog

Indian crested porcupine

Indian gray mongoose

Cairo spiny mouse

Carrot-tail viper gecko

Reptiles

Marsh crocodile

Olive ridley

Green sea turtle

Desert monitor

Yellow monitor

Indian fringe-fingered lizard

Indian sand-swimmer and the Melanophidium bilineatum

Birds

Houbara bustard

Spot-billed pelican

Dalmatian pelican

Bonelli's eagle

Imperial eagle

Golden eagle

Tawny eagle

Griffon vulture

Egyptian vulture

Cinereous vulture

Laggar falcon

Red-necked falcon

Kestrel

Brown-necked raven

Lichtenstein's sandgrouse

Grey partridge

See-see partridge

Stone-curlew

Indian sandgrouse

Crowned sandgrouse

Painted sandgrouse

Eurasian stone-curlew

Eagle owl

Sind pied woodpecker

Hume's chat

Long-billed pipit

Striped buning

Finch-larks

Hoopoe

Shrike

Black bittern

Goliath heron

Black ibis

Wheatear

Amphibians

Skittering frog

Indus Valley toad

Fishes

Golden mahasheer

Botchee

Important species

There are 14 species of birds of special conservation interest on account of being threatened (as per IUCN Red List 2005), very rare or key species of the park.

Sociable lapwing (critically endangered)

Saker falcon (endangered))

White-backed vulture (vulnerable)

Spot-billed pelican (vulnerable)

Dalmatian pelican (vulnerable)

Eastern imperial eagle (vulnerable)

Pallas's fish eagle (vulnerable)

Houbara bustard (vulnerable)

Black ibis (near-threatened)

Black-tailed godwit(near-threatened)

Sooty falcon (rare)

Goliath heron (vagrant)

Desert owl (confined to Makran Coast only)

Brown fish owl (very rare)

Conservation

According to independent reports 20 staff members, 18 game watchers and 2 deputy rangers, are currently responsible for the management of the park. They are under the guidance of the park manager, who reports to the conservator and the Secretary of Wildlife, Forest, Livestock, Environment and Tourism.