The Rann of Kutch is the largest Ramsar site in Sindh, covering 1,399,540 acres. Besides in 1980, the Ramsar site was also declared a wildlife sanctuary by the Sindh government. This sanctuary is supporting nature’s richest ecosystem. It provides food and shelter to a number of migratory and local wildlife species. The marshy Rann of Kutch, with its surrounding Thar desert area in Sindh, is one of the most potential habitats for a number of animals and birds in the province. This area is known to be a breeding ground for flamingoes and staging ground for pelicans, cranes, storks and many species of waterfowl. It is also an important site for animals like blue bulls, chinkaras and desert wolves, which have been sighted over here regularly. The site supports many species of birds and mammals which are locally and globally threatened. The site is also a wintering area for water birds. It is estimated that this wetland regularly supports over 40,000 water birds.
The marshy habitat is most attractive for water bird species such as common teal, shell duck, mallard, pochard, the flamingo and pelican. Occasionally, the range of other species has also been seen in the outskirts of the site. These include peafowl, sarus cranes, houbara bustard and the peregrine falcon and saker falcons. Furthermore, the area has its unique identity among one of the five famous eco-ranges of Pakistan. Out of seven routes for migratory birds in Central Asia, the Indus green route passes through the Thar desert, making it more important zone from wildlife perspective. This sanctuary is supporting nature’s richest ecosystem. It provides food and shelter to a number of migratory and local wildlife species. The marshy Rann of Kutch, with its surrounding Thar Desert area in Sindh, is one of the most potential habitats for a number of animals and birds in the province. The area has its unique identity among one of the five famous eco-ranges of Pakistan. Out of seven routes for migratory birds in Central Asia, the Indus green route passes through the Thar Desert, making it more important zone from wildlife perspective. The site supports many locally and globally threatened species, including the great Indian bustard, houbara bustard, sarus crane, and striped hyena and supports more than 1% of the biogeographical population of flamingos.
The premises of the Sindh Wildlife Department, Tharparkar was found suitable to be declared as the National Park. The fauna of Tharparkar, among many others, has peacocks, vultures, sparrows, crows, chinkara, deer, partridge, bustards, rabbits, jackals, wolves, antelopes, hawks, owls, spiders, nightjars, spotted sand grouse, desert foxes, golden jackals, striped hyenas and mongoose.
The writer is based in Umerkot and can be reached at [email protected]