Birds: AVIFAUNA OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA-phoenix bird-ostrich-pigeon-birds-magpie

AVIFAUNA OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA:

              In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the wild fauna is rich because due to its abundance flora and its wildlife flourishing in forest is a precious heritage of the country but due to making roads, buildings, chimneys and ground hunting these wildlife species were driven to a point of extinction. It is necessary to provide best protection to wild birds in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Therefore several areas were declared as protected areas (Wildlife department KP, 2008). The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has a unique status throughout the country with regard to the diversity of wildlife habitats and species (Khan, 2017). The protected areas play great role to make safe habitat for the breeding of endangered species, conservation of wildlife resources, and critical habitat to build national parks, game reserves and wildlife refugees (Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2007). There are about 29 National parks in Pakistan and 18 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, six famous national parks are namely Ayubia national park (3,312 hectares), chitral Goal national park (7,750 hectares), Sheikh Buddin national park (15,540 hectares), Saiful Malook (4,868 hectares) and Lolusar Dodipat (30,327 hectares), Broghile valley national park (3,400 ha) have been established and are famous for their unique flora and fauna among the biologists and naturalists. Three wildlife sanctuaries (34,212 ha) cover 0.46 percent area of kpk, 38 game reserves (371,066 ha) and covers 4.98 percent of kpk and 52 private game reserves have been established in province.

AVIFAUNA OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

 Where hunting is regulated and the threatened species are provided appropriate protection. Total protected area in kpk is 1,034,595 ha (Shah, 2011; Collaborative Management of protected areas, 2012; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2017). In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa four species of partridges are found at submountainous tract and adjoining agriculture fields in the province provide excellent game to the hunters, these species consist on black partridge, see-see partridge, Chukar partridge, grey partridge. Palas valley of Kohistan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is internationally recognized as hot spot of biodiversity. Before starting hunting period every year Khyber Pakhtunkhwa makes partridge hunting policy. The hunting is started from first Sunday of November and at the end of January. Hunting policy has been included on eight birds per day. Hunting can be stopped when the population of partridges decline from normal point (zareen et al., 2016; Shah, 2011; Khan, 2017).

AVIFAUNA OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

 Partridges trading are commonly observed in Kohat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Majority marketing of partridges is illegal because they have no license from wildlife department. The birds are kept in cages and are used for breeding purposes and their chicks are sold in bazaar. In kohat district the most commonly traded bird’s family is phasianidae. A Chukar is the most expensive bird which can sell out about 30,000-35,000 PKR (zareen et al., 2016). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have five out of six species of pheasants, it is consist on western Tragonpan, Monal, Cheer, Khalij and koklass pheasants (Robert, T.J., 1991; Khan, 2017).