The Wild Mammalian Fauna of Nowshera District Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

Natural wildlife habitats are regularly encroached by humans for different purposes, which are heading the biodiversity towards dramatic falls. The presence of several endangered species in many areas remains unveiled due to the lack of faunal inventories. In such situations, it is imperative to make proper records of the existing fauna on local scales to strengthen the conservation practices. Twenty-one species representing 18 genera, 12 families and six orders of mammals were recorded in Nowshera district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (KP), Pakistan from an inventory conducted from November 2018 to July 2019. Selected locations were scanned by walking and grey literature was used. Five of the recorded species were found in captive breeding facilities while rest of the species were recorded exclusively from the wild. Order Artiodactyla was the most diverse group represented by 7 species from 5 genera in 3 families. Critically endangered Common leopard Panthera pardus an imperceptible resident species of the area was revealed for the first time by using grey literature. Wild boar Sus scrofa was the most dominant and frequently occurring species of the area. Based on the regional conservation status of the recorded species, 3 species are near threatened, 2 species are vulnerable, one endangered and one species is critically endangered. Four species are protected under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife and Biodiversity (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management) Act, 2015. Threats being faced by the reported mammalian fauna from human activities are emphasized.