Project Sites - Indus for All Programme

Description:
Located in District Sanghar, Chotiari reservoir lies in between desert and wetland habitats which have resulted in flora and fauna occurring from both sides. Chotiari reservoir and surroundings therefore have the highest number of fauna species over all four programme sites. Biodiversity richness is especially prominent in birds, small mammal and reptiles/amphibians with 80 bird, 26 small mammals and 31 reptiles and amphibians species recorded during the programme's ecological baseline. The reservoir also supports numerous fisherfolk whilst the remaining communities rely on agriculture or livestock as their main income. Chotiari reservoir also supports a number of migratory birds as well as some rare resident species such as Marbled Teal.

Description:
Keenjhar Lake located in Thatta District is Pakistan's largest freshwater lake and nearly sole supplier of water to Karachi City. The lake is also an important source of livelihoods, the main being fishing and tourism. The lake supports fifty-five species of fish and a high diversity of flora, the recent ecological baseline recorded 263 plant species which is the highest number recorded from any of the programmes four sites. The lake is also a Ramsar site and a Wildlife Sanctuary and provides wintering stop over for thousands of birds such as coots, waders and ducks. Keenjhar Lake is visited by about 15,000 visitors each weekend and though this activity brings much needed income for the local community it also results in environmental degradation of the lake.

Description:
Keti Bunder and its surrounding creeks represent the coastal habitat in the programme. It is suffering the highest level of environmental degradation due to the reduction of freshwater flow reaching the delta resulting in sea-intrusion, reduction of mangrove habitats and non-availability of drinking water for the local inhabitants. Though the people of Keti Bunder have access to economically valuable fish resource, they are in the constant threat of frequent natural disasters such as cyclones, bought on by climate change. The marine fish fauna is rich in the creeks with a total of 74 species being recorded during the ecological assessment, including the Palla, one of the tastiest fish of Sindh and also one of the most threatened.

Description:
Though Pai Forest, Nawabshah District, is an irrigated plantation, it provides refuge to a high variety of wildlife such as Hog Deer, Grey Partridge, Quail and Hare. The forest also provides surrounding communities with fuel wood and non-timber forest products such as medicinal plants and gum. The forest supports a number of mammal species such as Hog deer, Indian wild boar, Small Indian civet, Asiatic jackal, Jungle cat, Bengal fox, Small Indian mongoose and Grey mongoose. The area is also a game sanctuary and has been long favored by hunters for partridge shooting. Like most habitats, the survival of Pai Forest depends on inundation of water from the River Indus which is now erratic and supplied only through a canal system.