Zangi Nawar Lake Nushki

Zangi Nawar Lake, Nushki, Pakistan
Zangi Nawar Lake is situated in the southwest of Quetta in the province of Baluchistan. Zangi Nawar is a unique wetland ecosystem, supporting a great diversity of fauna and flora in an otherwise inhospitable desert landscape. It is a very important breeding area for the endangered Marbled Teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris) and several other waterfowl, and when water levels are high, can hold as many as 90,000 ducks and coots in mid-winter. The main lake (1,060 ha) was declared a Game Reserve in 1982 and has since been upgraded to a Wildlife Sanctuary. A shallow, brackish, eutrophic lake and associated marshes surrounded by high, windblown sand dunes, in a desolate region of stony plains and barren rocky hills. At low water levels, the lake fragments into a chain of shallow lagoons, and during periods of drought, the wetland may dry out completely This lake is listed in the Ramsar list of important wetlands. Many species of birds and reptiles are found in and around this lake. The legal foundation nushki suggests a complete ban on hunting of migratory birds should be enforced in the districts nushki and chaghi of Balochistan and legal action is necessary to be taken against those violate the ban. The hunting ban would help break the previous records of arrival of migratory birds in the area of zangi nawar and other wetlands in the territory. Birds from many parts of the northern countries migrate to the area in particular season and it is possible to make them stay in the area more time if they are not hunted crucially and illegally. Hundreds of thousands of migratory birds had already arrived in the area the birds are very cautious and if they are disturbed by hunters, they start their return journey premature a complete ban on hunting can help provide a comfortable environment for birds to stay for longer in the wetlands. The seasonal migration of birds from Russia where winter has set in, along their Indus flyway on green route. These birds in the international migratory route from Russia to India via Pakistan cover more than 4,500 km. Some of these birds lay eggs on route and continue their journey. Birds either prefer to stay back in Balochistan and parts of Pakistan as well as India or fly back to Russia after March each year.