º£½ÇÉçÇø

Pakistan is a South Asian state with a diverse fauna which includes 660 bird and 177 mammal species. The country’s unique fauna is related to its position in the transitional zone right between Oriental and Palearctic zoogeographical regions. Pakistan’s fauna reflects the state’s varied climate. Majority of the birds in the country are migratory coming from India, Central Asia, and Europe. Some of the animals of Pakistan include:

10. Snow Leopard

The snow leopards are huge cat species which are indigenous to the mountainous ranges of South and Central Asia. These creatures are listed as vulnerable since their population had reduced to between 4,678 and 8,745 by 2016. The body weight of the snow leopards ranges from 49 to 121pounds with some bigger male weighing up to 165 pounds. Their head-and-body length is about 59 inches while their shoulder height is approximately 22 inches. These cats have a 41-inch long tail. Their fur is gray to white with numerous black spots on its neck and head. They have large rosettes on their bushy tails, flanks, and backs. The hairs on their furs are about 4.7 inches long. The bodies of these snow leopards are stocky with short legs, and they are smaller in size than all the other cats belonging to the genus Panthera. Their eyes are grey or pale green.

9. Rose-ringed Parakeet

The rose-ringed parakeets are medium-sized psittacines which belong to the genus Psittacula. These parrots are sexually dimorphic. The mature rose-ringed parakeets have black and red neck rings while the female and young ones have no ring or a shadow-like dark grey ring. They have a unique green color and are 16 inches long, with their feathery tails representing a bigger part of their length. The wings of a mature parrot are about 6.9 inches each. They are noisy creatures with a unique squawking call. A rose-ringed parakeet can be taught how to speak.

8. Indus Valley Toad

The Indus valley toads, also known as Bufo stomaticus, are toad species which are indigenous to numerous Asian countries including Nepal, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Peninsula India. These toads do not have a cranial crest, and the gap between their eyes is larger than their upper eyelids. They have a spiny ridge on their tarsus with their second and first fingers being almost equal in size. The toads have a white underside with some darker mottling on their throat. They have three dark bands on their forearms.

7. Pallas's Cat

Pallas’s cats are small wild felines which are indigenous to Central Asia. The Pallas’s cats are listed as Near Threatened. They were named after Peter Pallas, a German naturalist who described them under Felis manul in 1776. Their body size ranges from 18 inches to 26 inches with a 12.2 inch tail. These cats weigh about 9.9 pounds. Their dense, long fur and stocky posture make them appear plush and stout. Their furs are ocher with some darker vertical bars on their forelegs and torso. Their winter coats are greyer with fewer patterns than their summer coats. Their foreheads have some dark spots. They have black rings on their tails. The throat and chins of these cats are white. They have white cheeks with some black stripes which run from the corner of their eyes.

6. Ladakh Pika

Ladakh pikas are mammal species belonging to the family Ochotonidae and are indigenous to Pakistan, India, and China. The Ladak pika was previously known as plateau pika because of their similarities and color. However, the difference between these two species includes the small auditory bullas which are on the Ladak pika, plus they have differently arched skulls. Their furs are light grey/brown with their underside being white/yellow. The body length of these species ranges from 7 inches to 9 inches.

5. Rhesus Macaque

Rhesus macaques belong to the Cercopithecidae family. These monkeys are native to the Southeast, Central, and South Asia. They are grey or brown with a pinkish face which has no fur. Their tails are about 9 inches long. The length of adult male Rhesus macaque is 21 inches, and they weigh about 17 pounds. The females are way smaller averaging approximately 12 pounds in weight and 19 inches in length.

4. Bharal

Bharal, also known as Naur, is a goat-antelope indigenous to the high Himalayas of Pakistan, Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, and India. The male Bharals are larger than the females with their body weight ranging from 77 to 165 pounds. Their maximum body-and-head length is 65 inches. The Naurs have a 7.9 inch long tail. Bharals have a slate grayish coat which has a bluish sheen at times. The front parts of their legs and chest are black while the other parts of their legs and under-parts are white. They have a charcoal colored stripe which separates their white belly from their grey back. Both sexes have horns which are ridged on the top surface. The length of the horns on females is 7.9 inches while on males they can grow to about 31 inches long.

3. Long-tailed Marmot

The long-tailed marmots are huge squirrels which belong to the Sciuridae family. They reside in the mountainous areas of Central Asia. Their typical habitat is the alpine meadows and rough grasslands among rocks. These marmots are sturdy and large rodents which weigh about 20 pounds. The eyes of these rodents are near the top of their flat heads. The long-tailed marmots have short necks and smaller ears. Their hind legs are shorter than their forelegs. The long-tailed marmots have longer tails than all the other marmot species.

2. Lahore Pigeon

Lahore pigeons are domestic pigeons which are well-known for their gentle nature and impressive size. Just like all the other domesticated pigeons, the Lahore pigeons are the descendants of the Columba livia (rock pigeons). They are large pigeons which are about 11.5 inches long with 10.5 inch tails. The base color of these pigeons is white with another color starting at the place where the wattle and beak meet and then spread over their eyes and across their wings and back. Their tail and rump are white. They are bred in numerous colors including black, brown, blue and red among others.

1. Golden Jackal

Golden jackals are wolf-like Canidae which are indigenous to South Asia, Southwest Asia, Southeast Asia, and Southeast Europe. They are believed to be the descendants of the Arno river dogs which resided in Southern Europe about 1.9 million years ago. The body length of male golden jackals is between 28 inches to 33 inches while the females measure between 27 inches to 29 inches. The female weighs about 24 pounds while the average weight of the male golden jackal is 31 pounds. The shoulder height of the golden jackal is approximately 20 inches. They have coarse and short golden fur. Their color varies with the season from dark tawny to pale creamy yellow. They have a mixture of white, brown and black hair on their back which gives them a saddle-like appearance.