Protected Areas

KIRTHAR NATIONAL PARK

Kirthar National Park is Pakistan's second biggest National Park and the first in the country to be included in the 1975 United Nation's list of National Parks around the world. Khirthar National Park lies 80 kms North of Karachi in the south-west of Sindh province within Dadu and Malir Districts.

Kirthar is an important habitat for a variety of mammals, birds and reptiles. An estimated 276, species of fauna have been recorded in the Park. Among these are Sindh ibex, Urial, Chinkara, Wold, Striped hyaena and Caracal cat. Some of the reptiles found in the park are the Rock python, Sind cobra, Russell's viper, Sawscaled viper, Sind krait, Royal rat snake, tortoises, monitor lizards, Sind crocodile (possibly extinct) and different species of lizard and chameleon.

The principal vegetation of the park comprises Acacia senegal, Acacia nilotica, Prosopis cineraria, Tecomella undulata, Zizyphus nummularia, Commiphora and stocksiana, Commiphora wighgtii, Capparis decidua.

Khirthar National Park is also rich in cultural heritage. It is home to the enormous Rani Kot Fort, 18th century Chawkandi style tombs at Taung and pre-historic archaeological remains at Koh Tarash.

Source: Sindh Wildlife Department

WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES

There are thirty three wildlife sanctuaries in Sindh.

#	Protected Areas.	District	Area in Hectares
1	Takkar	Khairpur	43,513.334
2	Hudero Lake	Thatta	13,468.416
3	Keenjhar (Kalri) Lake	“	1,320.940
4	Haleji Lake	“	1,704.273
5	Lung Lake	Larkana	19.179
6	Drigh Lake	“	164.268
7	Mahal Kohistan	Dadu	70,577.090
8	Hab Dam	Karachi	27.219.151
9	Ghondhak Dhoro	Jacobabad	30.92
10	Miani Dhand	Hyderabad	56.66
11	Samno Dhand	Hyderabad	22.66
12	Gulsher Dhand	“	24.282
13	Dhounk Block	Shikarpur	2,097.965
14	Lakhat	Shaheed Benazirabad (formerly Nawabshsh)	101.175
15	Kot Dinghano	“	30.252
16	Mohabat Dero	“	16.188
17	Bijoro Chhach	Thatta	121.41
18	Norung	“	242.82
19	Cut Munarki Chhach	“	404.70
20	Sadnani	“	83.772
21	Shah Lanko	“	60.705
22	Hilaya	“	323.76
23	Majiran	“	24.282
24	Gullet Kohri	“	40.47
25	Marho Kotri	“	161.88
26	Munarki	“	12.141
27	Khadi	“	80.94
28	Keti Bander North	“	8,948.322
29	Keti Bander South	“	23,046.06
30	Khat Dhoro	Larkana	10.522
31	Runn of Kutch	Badin & Tharparkar	320463
32	Nara Desert	Sukkur, Khairpur 7 Sanghar	223590
33	Deh Akro - II	Shaheed Benazirabad (formerly Nawabshsh)	20243

GAME RERSERVES

The Sindh Wildlife Department recognizes 13 game reserves present in the province of Sindh. These are listed as under:

#	Protected Areas.	District	Area in Hectares
1	Deh Jangisar	Thatta	313.642
2	Deh Khalifa	Thatta	428.982
3	Dosu Forest	Larkana	2,312.212
4	Hala Forest	Hyderabad	953.473
5	Indus River (Dolphin Reserve) From Sukkur to Guddu Barrage	Jacobabad/Ghotki/Shikarpur &Sukkur	44.200
6	Khipro Forest	Sanghar	3,885.254
7	Mando Dero Forest	Sukkur	1,234.335
8	Mirpur Sakro Forest	Thatta	777.024
9	Nara	Khairpur	109,966.39
10	Pai Forest	Shaheed Benazirabad (formerly Nawabshsh)	1,969.270
11	Sahib Samo Forest	Hyderabad	348.473
12	Surjan, Sumbak, Eri & Hothiano Mountains	Dadu	40,631.88
13	Tando Mitho Khan Forest	Sanghar	5,343,294

Source: Sindh Wildlife Department