Climate change hits biodiversity
A boat stranded on the shore of Thatta after a flood. As a consequence of climate change, frequency of floods has increased, forcing entire communities living in the coastal areas to uproot themselves. After every devastation, fishermen, along with their meagre belongings are left with little choice to move elsewhere in search of livelihood. PHOTO: JAHANZEB TAHIR (@jt76007)
Dr Mumtaz Malik, the former chief wildlife conservator of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), on Monday said that Pakistan, like other developing countries, was also facing environmental and weather variations which are adversely affecting around 786 wildlife and biodiversity resources.
“The evolving weather changes embedded in climate change include erratic rainfalls, flash floods, storms, intense drought, heatwaves, rising sea, melting of glaciers, inconsistent snowfalls, and extremely cold conditions, which have endangered many wildlife species, especially in wetland areas in South Asian countries, including Pakistan,” he said while talking to APP.
He said that Pakistan was among 10 countries highly vulnerable to climate change where wildlife habitats, especially of aquatic species, were shrinking mostly in wetlands, besides posing serious threats to sharks and whales, reptiles, and other water animals.
The wildlife expert said that climate change had endangered about 90 different wildlife species with some near to extinction.
“Floods and drought destroy wildlife’s flora at their grazing ground, especially in wetlands and high alpine pasture areas. Resultantly, they come down to lower areas for food thus exposing themselves to illegal hunting,” he said.
He added that the frequency of migratory birds was also affected by climate change.
“Houbara likes cool temperatures for breeding. It is very sensitive among migratory birds and does not use the route again if it senses any danger on the way during the first journey,” he further said. “Houbara takes three to five years to find a new one in case of losing a mate.”
Dr Malik said that the rapid increase in human population was exerting extraordinary pressure on forests and converting agricultural lands into housing societies, thus habitats of indigenous wildlife, including jackals, monkeys, foxes, ducks, and doves, were adversely affected.
To combat climate change, he said, “we need to increase protected areas, the flora of wildlife, curbing illegal hunting and trade of wild animals and monitoring of their habitats besides diverting financial resources for strengthening of wildlife conservation and protection programs”.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 19th, 2022.