Disclaimer note - WWF - Pakistan

Detailed Ecological Assessment Report 2008 – Keti Bunder
Environmental Impact Assessment of the area through Consultants in 1992 (EIA
Report 1993). Later, they also conducted studies for Environmental Management
and Monitoring Plan of Chotiari through Consultants MMP – NESPAK – ACE in
1997 (EMMP Report 1998). These studies e a situation analysis of the wildlife
including mammals in Chotiari area. Azam (2002) gave distribution and
population Hog Deer in Sanghar district.
A number of workers have studied the fauna of Indus River. Ah and Ghalib (1978)
gave the distribution of the Mammals of Pakistan including mammals found in the
Indus River. Pilleri (1970, 1977), Niazi and Azam (1988), Reeves and Chaudhry
(1998), Bhaagat (1999) and Braulik (2006) studied the distribution, population
and status of Indus dolphin. However, no work has been done on the mammalian
fauna of riverine forest of Keti Shah and the present surveys are the first efforts to
study the mammalian fauna of the forest.
1.3.2 Small Mammals
There are several reports on the study of small mammals of Pakistan (Ah and
Ghalib, 1979; Akhtar, 1958-60; Anthony, 1950; Baig et al, 1986; Banerji, 1955;
Beg, et al., 1975, 1986; Frantz, 1973; Fulk et al., 1981; Mehmood et al., 1986;
Mian, 1986; Mirza, 1969; Parrack, 1966; Roberts, 1972, 1973; Siddiqui, 1970;
Thomas, 1920a,b,1923; Wagle, 1927; Walton, 1973 and Wroughton, 1911,1920)
but the most comprehensive and consolidate work is that of Roberts (1997).
Roberts (1997) compiled all the information available on the mammalian fauna of
Pakistan. After that Woods et al. (1997 a, b) gave a detailed account on the small
mammals of Pakistan but their work was restricted to the northern mountain
region of Pakistan. None of these studies has specifically addressed the
mammals of lower Sindh.
The role of small mammals has not been properly studied in Pakistan but it has
been a subject of special concern all over the world. Effect of small mammals on
vegetation pattern has been studied by Migula et al. (1970), French et al. (1976),
Harris (1971), Turner (1969), Fogel and Trappe (1978), Gross (1969), Golley et
al. (1975) and Zlotin and Kodashova (1974). Their affect on soil composition and
chemistry has been highlighted by Abaturov (1968), Hole (1981) and Zlotin and
Kodashova (1974). Small mammals have a very strong interaction with the other
animals of the ecosystem and the interactions between small mammals and other
animal have been studied by French et al. (1976), Hayward and Phillipson
(1979), Buckner (1964), Southern (1970), Clark (1972), Egoscue (1975) and
McInvaille and Keith (1974).
1.3.3 Reptiles and amphibians
The herpeto-fauna of Indus for All Programme, WWF Pakistan areas was little
studied by early herpetologists (Murray, 1884, 1886; Boulenger, 1890, 1920;
Smith, 1933, 1935, 1943; Minton, 1966; Mertens, 1969; Dubois & Khan, 1979;
Khan, 1979, 1980). Comprehensive studies have not been undertaken and
herpeto-fauna remains marginally explored. This is because the areas are very
wide, extremely difficult with very limited infrastructure and other facilities. The
conditions were even worse in the past and did not encourage the scientists to
venture for studies. Amphibians and reptiles are cold-blooded animals and
therefore are more sensitive to the environmental conditions as compared to
birds and mammals. However, in the recent past, Khan (1989, 1992, 1993, 1997,
1998, 2006), Baig (1988 a, b, c; 1989, 1990, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001 a, b,
2002); Khan and Baig, (1988, 1992); Khan and Tasnim (1989, 1990); Baig &
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