Balochistan Sphinx
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Hingol National Park or Hungol National Park ( ur, ) is the largest national park in
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, located in the
Makran Makran ( fa, مكران), mentioned in some sources as Mecran and Mokrān, is the coastal region of Baluchistan. It is a semi-desert coastal strip in Balochistan, in Pakistan and Iran, along the coast of the Gulf of Oman. It extends westwards, ...
coastal region. The park covers an area of about and is located 190 km from
Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
in the three districts of
Gwadar Gwadar ( Balochi/ ur, ) is a port city with located on the southwestern coast of Balochistan, Pakistan. The city is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea opposite Oman. Gwadar is the 100th largest city of Pakistan, according to the 2017 ...
, Lasbela and
Awaran Awaran ( Balochi and ur, ), is the main city of Awaran District in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. As well serving as the district headquarters the town is also the tehsil A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local u ...
in Balochistan. Hingol was declared a national park in 1988. The park is named after the southern part of the Hangul River which flows along the shores of the Arabian Sea and is home to large numbers of waterfowl and a wealth of marine life. Hangul National Park contains six distinct ecosystems as well as both desert and plains regions, making it unique among the national parks of Pakistan. The park is bordered by a dense forest to the north, a barren mountain range to the south, and the Hangul River tributary, which is home to thousands of migratory birds and
marsh crocodiles A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found a ...
. The
Gulf of Oman The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman ( ar, خليج عمان ''khalīj ʿumān''; fa, دریای عمان ''daryâ-ye omân''), also known as Gulf of Makran or Sea of Makran ( ar, خلیج مکران ''khalīj makrān''; fa, دریای مکرا ...
and the
Arabian Sea The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...
are also to the south. The park’s unique rock formations have been attracting tourists from all over the country for some time - notably since the completion of the
Makran Coastal Highway The N-10 or National Highway 10 (Urdu: ) is a 653 km national highway in Pakistan which extends along Pakistan's Arabian Sea coast from Karachi in Sindh province to Gwadar in Balochistan province. It passes the towns of Ormara and Pasni. ...
in 2004.


Wildlife

Hangul National Park is a natural sanctuary for endangered wildlife in Pakistan. It is home to about 257 plant and 289 animal species, including 35 mammals, aquatic animals, amphibians, reptiles and migratory birds, including hundreds of rare species. Marsh crocodiles are regularly spotted on the coastline adjacent to Hangul National Park, and there are an estimated 60 crocodiles in various places. The Hangul Bay is home to a large number of other aquatic life including Indo-Pacific dolphins and green & olive turtles, and various rare species of fish and turtles live in the coastal areas adjacent to Hangul National Park. These turtles come to the beach every night in August to lay their eggs at night. Increasing
plastic pollution Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles (e.g. plastic bottles, bags and microbeads) in the Earth's environment that adversely affects humans, wildlife and their habitat. Plastics that act as pollutants are catego ...
on the shores made it difficult for them to dig, so the female turtles left without laying eggs. Since then, the number of these turtles on the shores of Sindh and Balochistan has dropped significantly.


Rock formations

The University of Geneva and the University of Tehran conducted a joint study on the attractive features of this coastal strip of Iran and Balochistan, in which 36 rock formations were observed. According to this research, the effective process of erosion and sedimentation has played an important role in the erosion of rocks here for centuries in which the waves of the sea carry with them a lot of soil and other substances to the shore. Layers of soil 1 to 10 meters and in many places even thicker were observed on these rocks of different heights, which gradually increased from the beach. The tidal waves of the sea and the strong stormy winds have carved the Makran coastal strip and the adjoining mountain cliffs in such a way that at first glance the area resembles a bizarre archaeological complex preserving the remains of some ancient civilization. The most famous of these rocks are the
Princess of Hope The Princess of Hope (Urdu امید کی شہزادی) is a natural rock formation in Pakistan of the type known as a Hoodoo (geology), hoodoo or "fairy chimney" and which could fancifully be construed (see Pareidolia, mimetolith) as resembling a ...
and the Sphinx.


Princess of Hope

The most spectacular
landform A landform is a natural or anthropogenic land feature on the solid surface of the Earth or other planetary body. Landforms together make up a given terrain, and their arrangement in the landscape is known as topography. Landforms include hills, ...
of Hangul National Park is a hoodoo called the
Princess of Hope The Princess of Hope (Urdu امید کی شہزادی) is a natural rock formation in Pakistan of the type known as a Hoodoo (geology), hoodoo or "fairy chimney" and which could fancifully be construed (see Pareidolia, mimetolith) as resembling a ...
. Seen from afar, it resembles a gargantuan statue of a tall woman looking for something on the distant horizon. When the famous Hollywood actress
Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie (; born Angelina Jolie Voight; June 4, 1975) is an American actress, filmmaker, humanitarian and former Special Envoy to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award ...
came to Pakistan on a UN goodwill mission in 2004, this rock formation caught her attention and inspired her to name it 'Princess of Hope'. Despite its statuesque appearance, however, the pinnacle owes its form purely to ocean winds and other natural forces of erosion.


Balochistan Sphinx

The Balochistan Sphinx, also known as the "Lion of Balochistan" or Abul-Hol, is a natural rock structure that bears resemblance to a
sphinx A sphinx ( , grc, σφίγξ , Boeotian: , plural sphinxes or sphinges) is a mythical creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of a falcon. In Greek tradition, the sphinx has the head of a woman, the haunches of ...
and is visible from the Buzi Pass section of the
Makran Coastal Highway The N-10 or National Highway 10 (Urdu: ) is a 653 km national highway in Pakistan which extends along Pakistan's Arabian Sea coast from Karachi in Sindh province to Gwadar in Balochistan province. It passes the towns of Ormara and Pasni. ...
.


Mud volcanoes

Hingol mud volcano The Hingol mud volcanoes () are located in Lasbela District, Balochistan, Pakistan at a distance of around 100 km from Uthal, which is the headquarter of District Lasbela. The mud volcanoes are located in Hingol National Park which is the larg ...
ranging in height from 800 to 1500 feet are abundant in Hangul National Park, mostly in the Mid-Hor area. According to Muhammad Hanif Bhatti, a well-known traveler from Karachi, when he first saw the Chandra Gupta mudflat in Hangul National Park in 2010 he was amazed by the beauty and uniqueness of this natural process. At the time, the volcano was difficult to reach, but since the completion of the highway visitors to the mud volcanoes have increased significantly.


Hinglaj Mata mandir

Hinglaj Mata mandir Hinglaj Mata (Hindi: हिंगलाज माता, bal, هنگلاج ماتا, ), also known as Hinglaj Devi, Hingula Devi and Nani Mandir, is a Hindu temple in Hinglaj, a town on the Makran coast in the Lasbela district of Balochistan, a ...
, or Nani Mandir, is one of the most important Hindu shrines in Pakistan and the site of a pilgrimage that brings over 250,000 people to its location at the center Hingol National Park every spring. The Kali Mata temple in a cave in the Hanglaj Valley is said to be 200,000 years old. The annual festival is attended by 20,000 to 30,000 people and is organized by a committee of leading Hindus from Sindh and Balochistan. There are only four passenger compartments, so most pilgrims stay in tents, while many have to stay under trees or in the hot sun. Apart from accommodation, the most difficult for the pilgrims who come here is to climb the Chandra Gup Mt. Muslim tourists are allowed to enter the temple only after undergoing a rigorous identification process.


Makran beaches

The beach adjacent to Kand Malir on the last corner of Hangul National Park, also known as 'Virgin Beach', was added to the list of Asia's 50 Most Beautiful Beaches in 2018. The deserts, high mountains and volcanoes along this golden coast add to the tourist attraction, but unlike other beaches in Pakistan, much of the tourist activity has not yet begun here. Traveling along the Makran Coastal Highway, one can easily reach Sapat Beach in Boji Koh, another enchanting beach in Balochistan. The Hangul National Park Management Team consists of more than 20 members, including the Wildlife Pakistan, the Provincial Department of Livestock, Environment and Tourism. But with the Balochistan provincial government managing the park, many areas still need reform.


Natural history


Flora

Hingol National Park contains a variety of
topographical Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps. Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sci ...
features and
habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
s, varying from arid subtropical forest in the north to arid montane in the west. Large areas of the park are covered with drift sand and can be classified as coastal semi desert. The park includes the estuary of the
Hungol River Hingol River or Hungol River ( ur, ) is located in the Makran region, in the Gwadar District of southeastern Balochistan Province, in southwestern Pakistan. The river and valley are protected within Hingol National Park. Geography The Hingol Ri ...
which supports a significant diversity of bird and fish species. Some 250 plant species were recorded in the initial surveys including 7 yet undescribed species. Many more species are yet to be collected.


Fauna

Hingol National Park is known to support at least 35 species of mammals, 65 species of amphibians and reptiles, and 185 species of birds. The park forms an excellent habitat to wild
Sindh ibex The Sindh ibex or Sindhi wild goat (''Capra aegagrus blythi'') is a vulnerable subspecies of wild goat endemic to southern Pakistan. Description Sindh ibex are rather stocky animals with thick-set bodies and strong limbs terminating in broad ho ...
, Baluchistan urial, and
Chinkara The chinkara (''Gazella bennettii''), also known as the Indian gazelle, is a gazelle species native to Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Taxonomy The following six subspecies are considered valid: * Deccan chinkara (''G. b. bennettii'') ...
. Ibex is found in all steep mountain ranges and are numerous in the Hinglaj and Rodani Kacho Mountain areas. The population is estimated over 3000.


Mammals

*
Persian leopard ''Panthera pardus tulliana'' is a leopard subspecies native to the Iranian Plateau and surrounding areas encompassing Turkey, the Caucasus, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Iraq, Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and possibly Pakistan. Since 2016, i ...
*
Caracal The caracal (''Caracal caracal'') () is a medium-sized wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and arid areas of Pakistan and northwestern India. It is characterised by a robust build, long legs, a short face, long tufted e ...
*
Jungle cat The jungle cat (''Felis chaus''), also called reed cat, swamp cat and jungle lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to the Middle East, the Caucasus, South and Southeast Asia and southern China. It inhabits foremost wetlands like swamps, littora ...
*
Asiatic wildcat The Asiatic wildcat (''Felis lybica ornata''), also known as the Asian steppe wildcat and the Indian desert cat, is an African wildcat subspecies that occurs from the eastern Caspian Sea north to Kazakhstan, into western India, western China and ...
*
Indian wolf The Indian wolf (''Canis lupus pallipes'') is a subspecies of gray wolf that ranges from Southwest Asia to the Indian Subcontinent. It is intermediate in size between the Himalayan wolf and the Arabian wolf, and lacks the former's luxuriant wint ...
*
Golden jackal The golden jackal (''Canis aureus''), also called common jackal, is a wolf-like canid that is native to Southeast Europe, Southwest Asia, South Asia, and regions of Southeast Asia. The golden jackal's coat varies in color from a pale creamy y ...
*
White-footed fox The white-footed fox (''Vulpes vulpes pusilla''), also known as the desert fox, is a small, Asiatic subspecies of red fox which occurs throughout most of northwestern Indian subcontinent, Pakistan's desert districts from Rawalpindi to Rajasthan ...
*
Bengal fox The Bengal fox (''Vulpes bengalensis''), also known as the Indian fox, is a fox endemic to the Indian subcontinent from the Himalayan foothills and Terai of Nepal through southern India, and from southern and eastern Pakistan to eastern India and ...
* Striped hyena *
Honey badger The honey badger (''Mellivora capensis''), also known as the ratel ( or ), is a mammal widely distributed in Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Because of its wide range and occurrence in a variety of habitats, it is listed ...
*
Afghan hedgehog The Afghan hedgehog ''(Hemiechinus auritus megalotis)'' is a subspecies of the long-eared hedgehog native to Afghanistan and western Pakistan. It is larger and reddish in colour, but otherwise similar in appearance to the long-eared hedgehog. At ...
*
Indian pangolin The Indian pangolin (''Manis crassicaudata''), also called thick-tailed pangolin and scaly anteater is a pangolin native to the Indian subcontinent. Like other pangolins, it has large, overlapping scales on its body which act as armour. The colo ...
*
Balochistan gerbil The Balochistan gerbil or dwarf gerbil (''Gerbillus nanus''), is distributed mainly from Morocco across north Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, and western Asia. This is a common species with a wide distribution which faces no obvio ...
*
Indian gerbil The Indian gerbil (''Tatera indica'') also known as antelope rat, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in southern Asia from Syria to Bangladesh. It is the only species in the genus ''Tatera''. Members of the genus ''Gerb ...
*
Hotson's mouse-like hamster Hotson's mouse-like hamster (''Calomyscus hotsoni'') also known as Hotson's calomyscus or Hotson's brush-tailed mouse is a species of rodent in the family Calomyscidae. It is endemic to southwestern Pakistan and southeastern Iran (Musser and Carl ...
*
Central Asian boar The Central Asian boar (''Sus scrofa davidi'') is a small long maned subspecies of wild boar indigenous to Southeastern Iran, Pakistan and Northwest India. Description The subspecies is smaller than the nominate ''S. s. scrofa''. It is light brow ...
*
Sindh ibex The Sindh ibex or Sindhi wild goat (''Capra aegagrus blythi'') is a vulnerable subspecies of wild goat endemic to southern Pakistan. Description Sindh ibex are rather stocky animals with thick-set bodies and strong limbs terminating in broad ho ...
*
Urial The urial ( ; ''Ovis vignei''), also known as the arkars or shapo, is a wild sheep native to Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Characteristics Urial males have large horns, curling outwards from the to ...
*
Chinkara The chinkara (''Gazella bennettii''), also known as the Indian gazelle, is a gazelle species native to Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Taxonomy The following six subspecies are considered valid: * Deccan chinkara (''G. b. bennettii'') ...


Reptiles

*
Marsh crocodile The mugger crocodile (''Crocodylus palustris'') is a medium-sized broad-snouted crocodile, also known as mugger and marsh crocodile. It is native to freshwater habitats from southern Iran to the Indian subcontinent, where it inhabits marshes, l ...
*
Olive ridley The olive ridley sea turtle (''Lepidochelys olivacea''), also known commonly as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae. The species is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in th ...
*
Green sea turtle The green sea turtle (''Chelonia mydas''), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus ''Chelonia''. Its range exten ...
*
Desert monitor The desert monitor (''Varanus griseus'') is a species of monitor lizard of the order Squamata found living throughout North Africa and Central and South Asia. The desert monitor is carnivorous, feeding on a wide range of vertebrates and inverteb ...
*
Yellow monitor The yellow monitor (''Varanus flavescens'') or golden monitor is a monitor lizard native to South Asia. Description The yellow monitor is a medium-sized monitor, measuring from snout to vent between 45 cm and 95 cm including the tail ...
* Indian fringe-fingered lizard * Indian sand-swimmer *
Carrot-tail viper gecko The carrot-tail viper gecko (''Hemidactylus imbricatus'') is a species of gecko. It is found in Iran, Pakistan and possibly India, although the Indian records are questionable. Taxonomy This species was formerly known as ''Teratolepis fasciata'', ...
*
Melanophidium bilineatum ''Melanophidium bilineatum'', commonly known as the two-lined black shieldtail or iridescent shieldtail, is a species of snake endemic to India. This species was known from only three specimens and very little information is available of it in ...


Birds

*
Houbara bustard The houbara bustard (''Chlamydotis undulata''), also known as African houbara, is a relatively small bustard native to North Africa, where it lives in arid habitats. The global population is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2014. ...
*
Spot-billed pelican The spot-billed pelican (''Pelecanus philippensis'') or gray pelican is a member of the pelican family. It breeds in southern Asia from southern Iran across India east to Indonesia. It is a bird of large inland and coastal waters, especially larg ...
*
Dalmatian pelican The Dalmatian pelican (''Pelecanus crispus'') is the largest member of the pelican family, and perhaps the world's largest freshwater bird, although rivaled in weight and length by the largest swans. They are elegant soaring birds, with wingspan ...
*
Bonelli's eagle The Bonelli's eagle (''Aquila fasciata'') is a large bird of prey. The common name of the bird commemorates the Italian ornithologist and collector Franco Andrea Bonelli. Bonelli is credited with gathering the type specimen, most likely from an ...
*
Imperial eagle The eagle is used in heraldry as a charge, as a supporter, and as a crest. Heraldic eagles can be found throughout world history like in the Achaemenid Empire or in the present Republic of Indonesia. The European post-classical symbolism of the ...
*
Golden eagle The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known bird of p ...
*
Tawny eagle The tawny eagle (''Aquila rapax'') is a large bird of prey. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family ''Accipitridae''. Its heavily feathered legs mark it as a member of the subfamily Aquilinae, also known as booted eagles.Helbig, A. J., Kocum, ...
*
Griffon vulture The Eurasian griffon vulture (''Gyps fulvus'') is a large Old World vulture in the bird of prey family Accipitridae. It may also be known as the Griffon vulture, though it may be used for the genus as a whole. It is not to be confused with Rü ...
*
Egyptian vulture The Egyptian vulture (''Neophron percnopterus''), also called the white scavenger vulture or pharaoh's chicken, is a small Old World vulture and the only member of the genus ''Neophron''. It is widely distributed from the Iberian Peninsula and ...
*
Cinereous vulture The cinereous vulture (''Aegypius monachus'') is a large raptor in the family Accipitridae and distributed through much of temperate Eurasia. It is also known as the black vulture, monk vulture and Eurasian black vulture. With a body length of , ...
*
Laggar falcon The laggar falcon (''Falco jugger''), also known as the lugger falcon or jugger (from Hindi जग्गर — jaggar, “falcon”) is a mid-sized bird of prey which occurs in the Indian subcontinent from extreme southeastern Iran, southeaste ...
*
Red-necked falcon The red-necked falcon (''Falco chicquera'') is a bird of prey in the falcon family with two disjunct populations, one in India and the other in Africa. This medium-sized falcon has bluish grey wings and upper body, a chestnut red cap with short c ...
*
Kestrel The term kestrel (from french: crécerelle, derivative from , i.e. ratchet) is the common name given to several species of predatory birds from the falcon genus ''Falco''. Kestrels are most easily distinguished by their typical hunting behaviour ...
*
Brown-necked raven The brown-necked raven (''Corvus ruficollis'') is a larger bird (52–56 cm in length) than the carrion crow though not as large as the common raven. It has similar proportions to the common raven but the bill is not so large or deep and the ...
*
Lichtenstein's sandgrouse Lichtenstein's sandgrouse (''Pterocles lichtensteinii'') is a species of bird in the Pteroclidae family, which is named after Martin Lichtenstein. They are nomadic, mostly nocturnal birds, which drink before dawn and after dusk. Range The speci ...
*
Grey francolin The grey francolin (''Ortygornis pondicerianus''), also known as "manu moa" or "chicken bird", is a species of francolin found in the plains and drier parts of the Indian subcontinent and Iran. This species was formerly also called the grey partr ...
*
See-see partridge The see-see partridge (''Ammoperdix griseogularis'') is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. This partridge has its main native range from southeast Turkey through Syria and Iraq east to ...
*
Stone-curlew The stone-curlews, also known as dikkops or thick-knees, consist of 10 species within the family Burhinidae, and are found throughout the tropical and temperate parts of the world, with two or more species occurring in some areas of Africa, Asia, ...
*
Crowned sandgrouse The crowned sandgrouse (''Pterocles coronatus'') is a species of bird in the sandgrouse family, the Pteroclidae from North Africa and the Middle East. Description A fairly small sandgrouse which appears rather uniformly coloured from a distance ...
*
Lichtenstein's sandgrouse Lichtenstein's sandgrouse (''Pterocles lichtensteinii'') is a species of bird in the Pteroclidae family, which is named after Martin Lichtenstein. They are nomadic, mostly nocturnal birds, which drink before dawn and after dusk. Range The speci ...
*
Painted sandgrouse The painted sandgrouse (''Pterocles indicus'') is a medium large bird in the sandgrouse family Pteroclidae found in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Taxonomy The painted sandgrouse was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann F ...
*
Eurasian stone-curlew The Eurasian stone-curlew, Eurasian thick-knee, or simply stone-curlew (''Burhinus oedicnemus'') is a northern species of the Burhinidae (stone-curlew) bird family. Taxonomy The Eurasian stone-curlew was Species description, formally described ...
*
Indian eagle-owl The Indian eagle-owl (''Bubo bengalensis''), also called the rock eagle-owl or Bengal eagle-owl, is a large horned owl species native to hilly and rocky scrub forests in the Indian Subcontinent. It is splashed with brown and grey, and has a white ...
*
Sind woodpecker The Sind woodpecker (''Dendrocopos assimilis'') is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is native to Pakistan, India and southern Iran. Description Sind woodpeckers are similar to Syrian woodpecker in appearance, with former being small ...
*
Siberian stonechat The Siberian stonechat or Asian stonechat (''Saxicola maurus'') is a recently validated species of the Old World flycatcher family (Muscicapidae). Like the other thrush-like flycatchers, it was often placed in the Turdidae in the past. It breed ...
* Long-billed pipit *
Grey hypocolius The grey hypocolius or simply hypocolius (''Hypocolius ampelinus'') is a small passerine bird species. It is the sole member of the genus ''Hypocolius'' and it is placed in a family of its own, the Hypocoliidae. This slender and long tailed bird i ...
*
Crested lark The crested lark (''Galerida cristata'') is a species of lark widespread across Eurasia and northern Africa. It is a non-migratory bird, but can occasionally be found as a vagrant in Great Britain. Taxonomy and systematics The crested lark was ...
*
Hoopoe Hoopoes () are colourful birds found across Africa, Asia, and Europe, notable for their distinctive "crown" of feathers. Three living and one extinct species are recognized, though for many years all of the extant species were lumped as a single ...
*
Shrike Shrikes () are passerine birds of the family Laniidae. The family is composed of 34 species in four genera. The family name, and that of the largest genus, ''Lanius'', is derived from the Latin word for "butcher", and some shrikes are also know ...
*
Black bittern The black bittern (''Ixobrychus flavicollis'') is a bittern of Old World origin, breeding in tropical Asia from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka east to China, Indonesia, and Australia. It is mainly resident, but some northern birds mig ...
*
Goliath heron The Goliath heron (''Ardea goliath''), also known as the giant heron, is a very large wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa, with smaller, declining numbers in Southwest and South Asia. Description This i ...
*
Black ibis The red-naped ibis (''Pseudibis papillosa'') also known as the Indian black ibis or black ibis is a species of ibis found in the plains of the Indian Subcontinent. Unlike other ibises in the region it is not very dependent on water and is often f ...
*
Variable wheatear The variable wheatear (''Oenanthe picata'') is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, a ...


Amphibians

* Skittering frog * Indus Valley toad


Fish

* Golden mahasheer *Botchee


Conservation

There are 14 species of birds of special conservation interest on account of being threatened (as per
IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...
2005), very rare or key species of the park.Syed Ali Ghalib, Abdul Jabbar, Jan Wind, Afsheen Zehra, Darakhsan Abbas. (2008), ''Avifauna of Hingol National Park, Balochistan'', Pakistan J. Zool, pp. 317–330 *
Sociable lapwing The sociable lapwing (''Vanellus gregarius''), historically referred to as the sociable plover, is a wader in the plover family. It is a fully migratory bird, breeding in Kazakhstan and wintering in the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, and Suda ...
(critically endangered) *
Saker falcon The saker falcon (''Falco cherrug'') is a large species of falcon. This species breeds from central Europe eastwards across the Palearctic to Manchuria. It is mainly migratory except in the southernmost parts of its range, wintering in Ethiopia ...
(endangered)) *
White-backed vulture The white-backed vulture (''Gyps africanus'') is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the most common vulture species in the continent of Africa. Description Preening at t ...
(vulnerable) *
Spot-billed pelican The spot-billed pelican (''Pelecanus philippensis'') or gray pelican is a member of the pelican family. It breeds in southern Asia from southern Iran across India east to Indonesia. It is a bird of large inland and coastal waters, especially larg ...
(vulnerable) *
Dalmatian pelican The Dalmatian pelican (''Pelecanus crispus'') is the largest member of the pelican family, and perhaps the world's largest freshwater bird, although rivaled in weight and length by the largest swans. They are elegant soaring birds, with wingspan ...
(vulnerable) *
Eastern imperial eagle The eastern imperial eagle (''Aquila heliaca'') is a large bird of prey that breeds in southeastern Europe and extensively through West and Central Asia. Most populations are migratory and winter in northeastern Africa, the Middle East and South ...
(vulnerable) *
Pallas's fish eagle Pallas's fish eagle (''Haliaeetus leucoryphus''), also known as Pallas's sea eagle or band-tailed fish eagle, is a large, brownish sea eagle. It breeds in the east Palearctic in Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, C ...
(vulnerable) *
Houbara bustard The houbara bustard (''Chlamydotis undulata''), also known as African houbara, is a relatively small bustard native to North Africa, where it lives in arid habitats. The global population is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2014. ...
(vulnerable) *
Black ibis The red-naped ibis (''Pseudibis papillosa'') also known as the Indian black ibis or black ibis is a species of ibis found in the plains of the Indian Subcontinent. Unlike other ibises in the region it is not very dependent on water and is often f ...
(near-threatened) *
Black-tailed godwit The black-tailed godwit (''Limosa limosa'') is a large, long-legged, long-billed shorebird first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. It is a member of the godwit genus, ''Limosa''. There are four subspecies, all with orange head, neck and chest ...
(near-threatened) *
Sooty falcon The sooty falcon (''Falco concolor'') is a medium-sized falcon breeding from northeastern Africa to the southern Persian Gulf region. The word sooty means to be covered in soot (ash), and is used to describe the color of the Sooty Falcon. Hence, ...
(rare) *
Goliath heron The Goliath heron (''Ardea goliath''), also known as the giant heron, is a very large wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa, with smaller, declining numbers in Southwest and South Asia. Description This i ...
(vagrant) *
Desert owl The desert owl or desert tawny owl (''Strix hadorami''), formerly known as Hume's owl, is a species of owl. It is closely related to the more widespread tawny owl and to the range-restricted Omani owl. This species is a part of the family Strigi ...
(confined to
Makran Coast Makran ( fa, مكران), mentioned in some sources as Mecran and Mokrān, is the coastal region of Baluchistan. It is a semi-desert coastal strip in Balochistan, in Pakistan and Iran, along the coast of the Gulf of Oman. It extends westwards, f ...
only) *
Brown fish owl The brown fish owl (''Ketupa zeylonensis'') is a fish owl species in the family known as typical owls, Strigidae. It is native from Turkey to South and Southeast Asia. Due its wide distribution it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. ...
(very rare)


Management

According to independent reports, 20 staff members, 18 game watchers and 2 deputy rangers are responsible for the management of the park. They are under the guidance of the park manager, who reports to the conservator and the Secretary of Wildlife, Forest, Livestock, Environment and Tourism.


Photo gallery

File:Baluchistan Canyons.jpg, Canyons at the national park File:Moola Chotuk, Khuzdar, Balochistan.jpg,
Chotok Waterfalls Chotok Waterfalls also known as Moola Chotok Waterfalls are situated in a village Moola, Khuzdar District of Balochistan the province of Pakistan. Moola is a village and Tehsil of Khuzdar District which is about away from Khuzdar. Chotok waterfal ...
File:HangolMudvolcano.JPG,
Hingol mud volcano The Hingol mud volcanoes () are located in Lasbela District, Balochistan, Pakistan at a distance of around 100 km from Uthal, which is the headquarter of District Lasbela. The mud volcanoes are located in Hingol National Park which is the larg ...
File:Hungol National Park.jpg,
Hungol River Hingol River or Hungol River ( ur, ) is located in the Makran region, in the Gwadar District of southeastern Balochistan Province, in southwestern Pakistan. The river and valley are protected within Hingol National Park. Geography The Hingol Ri ...
estuary An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environment ...
wetlands, and mesas File:Hungol Landscape.JPG, Rock formation and dunes File:Beautiful rock formation near Hinglaj.jpg, Rock formation File:Chota Chotok-6.jpg, Chotok waterfalls File:Princes of Hope, Hingol National Park, Pakistan (cropped).jpg, The so-called ''
Princess of Hope The Princess of Hope (Urdu امید کی شہزادی) is a natural rock formation in Pakistan of the type known as a Hoodoo (geology), hoodoo or "fairy chimney" and which could fancifully be construed (see Pareidolia, mimetolith) as resembling a ...
'' at the Park


See also

*
Hingol mud volcano The Hingol mud volcanoes () are located in Lasbela District, Balochistan, Pakistan at a distance of around 100 km from Uthal, which is the headquarter of District Lasbela. The mud volcanoes are located in Hingol National Park which is the larg ...
*
Makran Makran ( fa, مكران), mentioned in some sources as Mecran and Mokrān, is the coastal region of Baluchistan. It is a semi-desert coastal strip in Balochistan, in Pakistan and Iran, along the coast of the Gulf of Oman. It extends westwards, ...
*
Natural history of Balochistan, Pakistan Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans are ...


References


External links


official Hingol National Park website
{{authority control National parks of Pakistan Deserts of Pakistan Protected areas of Balochistan, Pakistan Awaran District Gwadar District Lasbela District Protected areas established in 1988