Sights & Sounds

Khunjerab National Park

Location

KNP is located between 34*44'N-75*17'E. It is one of the highest parks in the world, most of it above 4000 meters (13,000 ft) in elevation. Altitude  Ranges from 3660 meters (12,078 ft) at the entrance to the park to over 6000 meters (19,800 ft) in certain places. The Khunjerab Pass to China via the Karakoram Highway is at 4934 meters (16,282 ft).The park is adjacent to Taxkorgan Natural Reserve (1,400,000ha) in China.

Total area: 226,913 hectares

Khunjerab National Park is Pakistan's third largest National Park. KNP was the first national park in Northern Areas established on April 29th, 1975 by late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto on the recommendation of Wildlife biologist Dr. George Schaller.  Khunjerab consists of two words “khoon” and ”jerab” respectively meaning blood and nallah in Wakhi dialect. It is said that this nallah was once ukknder the occupation of mountain nomadic tribes and the Kirgiz A ruler of Hunza (1803-34) Mir Salim Khan frequently raided these nomadic tribes, looted their properties and took the men and women in slavery until they were finally compelled to leave this area forever. After taking over this land, the Mir returned to his summer pastures and employed professional shepherds known as “doghdars” and also started agriculture in the area by engaging supervisors known as “yarpas.”

                                                   KKH near Pak China border in KNP

Purpose of Establishing KNP

The primary purpose of setting up of this park was to provide protection to the endangered Marco polo sheep, which is only found in this area in Pakistan. According to the Mir of Hunza, the population was around 400 but had dropped to below 180 by the time of the completion of the Karakoram Highway. A herd of almost 75 Marco Polo sheep was recorded in the spring of 1984 and park staff saw at least 50 crossing the Pass in May 1989. The park is also famous for its Snow Leopards. Some reports say that it might contain the highest density of these beautiful cats in the total Himalayan ecosystem which is the natural habitat of these cats. Over 2,000 Siberian ibex, widely distributed and abundant in the park but absent from neighbouring China are also present here.

Physical Features

Khunjerab and Shimshal valleys are narrow and bounded by rugged mountains, barren cliffs and scree slopes but open out into plateaus at their heads. The main Khunjerab, Shimshal and Gujerab rivers flow westward and drain into the Hunza River.

All the waterways are perennial but the upper reaches freeze during winter. There is a variety of sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks. Soils are generally shallow and immature, containing fragments of rocky material, drifted sand and clay. They are formed mainly by the deposition of glacial material carried down in valley.

Rivers and streams become blocked by debris causing subsequent blocking but eventually the water breaks through these blockades. The nearest meteorological station is at Misgar which is in a separate valley to the southeast. However there is also an automated weather station put up by WAPDA at the Khunjerab pass itself. The best time to visit this national park is from MarchtoSeptember.

Wildlife:

Mammals:

Total species: 16

Mammals in the park include------- Snow leopard (V), Himalayan Ibex (C), Brown bear (T), Tibetan red fox (C), Tibetan wolf (T), Blue Sheep (in Shimshal area only) (V), Marcopolo Sheep (T), Tibetan wild ass( Kiang ) (T), Ermine (C), Alpine weasle (?), Stone Martin (C), Golden Marmot (C), Lynx (Unconfirmed reports) (?), Large-eared Pika (C), Dhole (Unconfirmed reports) (?), Cape hare (C), Common field mouse (C), Royle's mountain vole (C), Lesser shrew (C) and Migratory hamster (C).

(Note: T=Threatened, V=Vulnerable, R=Rare, C=Common, ?=Unknown)

Birds:                                                                                                             Total species: 66

Common birds in the park are---- Lammegier vulture, Golden eagle, Himalayan griffon vulture, Eurasian black vulture, Marsh harrier, Eurasian sparrow hawk, Eurasian kestrel, Lesser kestrel, Saker falcon, Peregrine falcon, Himalayan Snow cock, Snow partridge, Chukar, Grey heron, Common sandpiper, Hill pigeon, Snow pigeon, Northern eagle owl, Eurasian cuckoo, Common swallow, Magpie, Alpine cough and Raven.

 Wildlife census report of KNP for the year 2004

                          (Source: M. Akram, Range Forest Officer,KNP)

Main causes of decline of wildlife population (large animals) in KNP

(Source: Ali, A. 1998. Status of large mammal species in KN P. M.Sc. thesis. PFI, Peshawar)

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