Sunday 22 May: Pakistan forms a bridge between the Middle East and the Orient, and is a country of tremendous uniqueness, with its dramatic ecological diversity, broad latitudinal spread and immense altitudinal range. Housing the second highest point of the world -K2 - at 8,611m to the lowest point in the Arabian Sea at 0 m, it presents varied ecosystems, which support a large variety of biodiversity. These range from the mangrove forests fringing the Arabian Sea to the spectacular mountaintops where the Western Himalayas, Hindukush and Karakorums meet. Constituting as many as 18 distinct habitats, they support a rich variety of species (plants, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, invertebrates) that contribute to the overall biodiversity of Pakistan. These include more than 5,700 species of plants, 194 species of mammals, 668 species of migratory and resident birds, 400 marine and 125 freshwater fish species, 174 species of reptiles, 16 species of amphibians, 20,000 species of insects and terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates, and 700 species of marine invertebrates. But many of these unique creations of nature are under threat. Endangered mammals include the Indus dolphin and the woolly flying squirrel. Threatened mammals include, among others, the Ibex, Markhor, Urial, goitred gazelle, Marco Polo sheep, snow leopard, Balochistan black bear, common leopard, wild ass and houbara bustard.

The International Day for Biodiversity (IDB) is celebrated all over the world, on May 22, to highlight the significance of biodiversity conservation. It symbolizes the collective will of the world to cooperate in halting and reversing the accelerating loss of biological and genetic resources of the planet. It gives an opportunity to all, to join hands and talk about the existing and emerging problems caused by biodiversity loss and prospects of biodiversity conservation.

For further information please contact Tehseena Rafi or visit IUCN Pakistan website.