A Review Analysis on Climate Impacts, Migration Patterns, Habitat Loss, and Hunting on Avian Diversity in Pakistan

Climate Impacts, Migration Patterns, Habitat Loss, and Hunting on Avian Diversity

Abstract

Pakistan has more than 790 species of birds living in different ecosystems, with 225 nationally significant wetlands, of which 19 are Ramsar wetlands with critical arid, coastal, and montane habitats. The country is a critical location of migratory and resident avifauna due to its location on the Indus Flyway. This is, however not the case as the avian diversity is threatened to extinction by habitat loss, climate change, hunting, and pollution. It is a systematic literature review that identifies these threats in important biomes of Pakistan (2012-2025). Results show that there have been drastic reductions in the number of birds in well-known wetlands such as Taunsa Barrage and Uchali Lake due to change of land use, illegal studies, and variability in migration due to climate change. Other understudied pressures in desert and coastal ecosystems that are mentioned through the analysis include overgrazing in Cholistan and mangrove loss in the Indus Delta. Some of the conservation measures that are discussed are habitat restoration, increased enforcement of the law, community involvement, and adaptation to changes in climate. This is an appeal to call on concerted, biome-specific conservation to protect the avian diversity in Pakistan as the environment keeps mounting pressure on it.