Activities leading to species loss
Humans are also one of the cause of the extinction of species, through over-exploitation for food by hunting and collection. Not only this, their obsession with collecting specimens for zoos and research for medicinal plants has also contributed to the obliteration of entire species and is threatening others.
There is a strong and old tradition of hunting in Pakistan and its impact has increased due to greater availability of guns and vehicles. Many birds and animals are subjected to trapping and illegal hunting leading to a decline in their populations. Almost all of the large mammals have declined in numbers due to this.
Fishing affects marine life. Catches have increased and the shrimp industry, one of the major sources of foreign exchange (80% of export from the fisheries sector) is showing signs of over-exploitation. This is also due to the practice of fishing in shallow water leading to young shrimp also being caught. The increase in the number of trawlers and the international demand for shrimp has resulted in shrimp fishing beyond sustainable yield. It is economically viable to conserve coastal mangrove systems as these form important feeding areas and nurseries for shrimps and young fish. Marine turtles are also caught accidentally by commercial shrimp trawlers using mechanised nets. Over-fishing is depleting native fish species in rivers and inland wetlands. The Hilsa Ilisha fish previously dominated the river fisheries. Construction of barrages at Sukker and Kotri has reduced and upstream migration. The barrages also resulted in massive declines of carps and other fish to various lake-fisheries in Sindh.
Human Use of Wildlife in Pakistan
Most of the species are believed to be in decline
| Human Use |
Species |
| Illegal hunting for sport, meat, trade and persecution |
Most ungulates, game birds and water fowl |
| Persecution in response to livestock and crop losses |
All predators; brown/black bear, grey wolf, snow leopard, common leopard, as well as rhesus macaque |
| Falconry |
Saker, lagger and peregrine falcons |
| Domestication |
Cranes, rhesus macaque, parrots, bears (Dancing / Bating ) |
| Decoration |
Most felids and mustelids for fur, crocodiles and snakes for skin, turtles for shells and oil and monal pheasant for feathers. Ungulates (For Trophies) |
| Medicinal purposes |
Rhesus macaque, bears, musk deer |
Biodiversity Action Plan - IUCN /WWF 1998 |
