Biodiversity Profile of Afghanistan - Disasters and Conflicts - UNEP
Biodiversity Profile of Afghanistan - Disasters and Conflicts - UNEP
Biodiversity Profile of Afghanistan - Disasters and Conflicts - UNEP
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population.estimates.were.provided...Bactrian.deer.<br />
were.introduced.in.1955.from.the.Darqad.wetl<strong>and</strong>s.<br />
on. the. Amu. Darya. River. <strong>and</strong>. were. reported. to.<br />
number.26.animals.in.1976...As.a.consequence.<br />
<strong>of</strong>.relatively.undisturbed.habitat,.birds.were.more.<br />
diverse.than.FAO.staff.saw.elsewhere.in.the.central.<br />
Hindu.Kush...Common.leopard.(Panthera pardus),.<br />
lynx. (Lynx lynx),. wolf. (Canis lupus),. fox. (Vulpes<br />
vulpes),.river.otter.(Lutra lutra),.<strong>and</strong>.marten.(Martes<br />
foina).were.all.found.in.the.reserve.area,.although.<br />
no.population.estimates.were.available..<br />
The.Ajar.Valley.was.gazetted.as.a.Wildlife.Sanctuary.<br />
in.June.1977.(FAO.1981).<strong>and</strong>.IUCN.recognizes.the.<br />
area. as. a. Class. IV. reserve. (World. Database. on.<br />
Protected.Areas)..There.appear.to.be.no.<strong>of</strong>ficial.<br />
records. documenting. the. exact. boundaries. <strong>of</strong>.<br />
the.reserve...Shank.et.al..(1977).suggested.that.<br />
the.reserve.comprised.approximately.50,000.ha.<br />
while.the.World.Database.on.Protected.Areas.lists.<br />
the.size.as.40,000.ha...<br />
Since. 2006,. WCS. has. been. undertaking. field.<br />
surveys.<strong>of</strong>.the.Ajar.Valley.<strong>and</strong>.working.with.local.<br />
communities. towards. establishing. the. area. as.<br />
a. legally. recognized. Wildlife. Reserve.. . Heavy.<br />
hunting.persists.<strong>and</strong>.only.an.estimated.100.–.200.<br />
ibex. remain. in. Ajar. Valley.. . Bactrian. deer,. yaks,.<br />
<strong>and</strong>.leopards.are.now.gone.<strong>and</strong>.urial.are.very.<br />
rare.. . Only. one. family. lives. <strong>and</strong>. farms. above.<br />
Lake.Chiltan,.but.the.entire.area.is.once.again.<br />
being. heavily. grazed.. . Juniper. <strong>and</strong>. shrubs. are.<br />
being.heavily.harvested...The.hunting.lodge.was.<br />
destroyed.during.the.war.<strong>and</strong>.ownership.<strong>of</strong>.the.<br />
royal.l<strong>and</strong>s.near.the.Ajar.villages.is.contested.<br />
15.3 Ab-i-Estada<br />
Ab-i-Estada. is. a. large,. saline. lake. occupying.<br />
a. flat. depression. on. the. southern. edge. <strong>of</strong>. the.<br />
Hindu. Kush. Mountains. in. Ghazni. Province.. The.<br />
lake. is. a. critical. stopover. point. for. thous<strong>and</strong>s.<br />
<strong>of</strong>. migratory. birds. that. once. included. the.<br />
endangered.Siberian.Crane..Ab-i-Estada.is.also.<br />
an.important.breeding.ground.for.thous<strong>and</strong>s.<strong>of</strong>.<br />
Greater.Flamingoes.(Phoenacopterus ruber).<strong>and</strong>.<br />
other.wetl<strong>and</strong>-dependent.birds..Ab-i-Estada.was.<br />
visited.by.the.<strong>UNEP</strong>.Post-Conflict.Assessment.team.<br />
in. 2002.. Because. <strong>of</strong>. the. security. situation,. little.<br />
information.is.available.about.recent.conditions.<br />
at.Ab-i-Estada.<br />
Eurasian cranes (Grus grus) in Hajian Village, Parwan Province, Central <strong>Afghanistan</strong>. These cranes have been captured for their valued meat<br />
40 An Output <strong>of</strong> the National Capacity Needs Self-Assessment
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