#quetta

The present study was conducted from August 2020 to December 2021 to count the vertebrate population and to examine the negative impact cause their scarcity. The Maslakh range forest (30°03′ to 30°21′ N and 66°31′ to 66°49′ E) extends over an area of 115,040 hectors with an altitude of 1406 meter to 4228 meter. Standard methods such as track counts, point surveys, line transects, road side counts, pellet counts, trapping, fresh holes, tracks counting, baited spotlight trick and normal spotlight were used to record the number of mammal species. For aves fauna survey strip census trick was used, and for reptiles, amphibian species direct counting (night observations, one-hour plot searching, stones, rocks and rotten trees turning) were processed, while indirect counting (informations) were obtained from field staff, game inspectors, game watchers, and local villagers. In total 153 vertebrate species including 28 mammals (18.30%), 100 birds (65.36%), 22 reptiles (13.92%) and 3 amphibians (2.06%) were recorded. Threatened species recorded were Striped hyaena (Hyaena hyaena Linnaeus, 1758), Indian wolf (Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758), Balochistan urial (Ovis vignei blanfordi Blanford, 1894), Chinkara (Gazella bennettii Sykes, 1831), and the imperial eagles (Aquila heliaca Blanford,1894) found to be critically endangered. It was observed that hunting and capturing of animals of the study area and native live-stock grazing were known to be the main reasons of fauna and flora decline. Another important factor was noted to be droughts intensity due to climatic change of the area. It is concluded that prompt management plan of the Forestry Department Balochistan (Balochistan wildlife Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management) Act 1974 may be implemented in its full spirit at the earliest to save the vertebrate fauna, vegetation and natural fresh water reservoirs of Maslakh range forest, Pakistan.

The present study was conducted from August 2020 to December 2021 to count the vertebrate population and to examine the negative impact cause their scarcity. The Maslakh range forest (30°03′ to 30°21′ N and 66°31′ to 66°49′ E) extends over an area of 115,040 hectors with an altitude of 1406 meter to 4228 meter. Standard methods such as track counts, point surveys, line transects, road side counts, pellet counts, trapping, fresh holes, tracks counting, baited spotlight trick and normal spotlight were used to record the number of mammal species. For aves fauna survey strip census trick was used, and for reptiles, amphibian species direct counting (night observations, one-hour plot searching, stones, rocks and rotten trees turning) were processed, while indirect counting (informations) were obtained from field staff, game inspectors, game watchers, and local villagers. In total 153 vertebrate species including 28 mammals (18.30%), 100 birds (65.36%), 22 reptiles (13.92%) and 3 amphibians (2.06%) were recorded. Threatened species recorded were Striped hyaena (Hyaena hyaena Linnaeus, 1758), Indian wolf (Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758), Balochistan urial (Ovis vignei blanfordi Blanford, 1894), Chinkara (Gazella bennettii Sykes, 1831), and the imperial eagles (Aquila heliaca Blanford,1894) found to be critically endangered. It was observed that hunting and capturing of animals of the study area and native live-stock grazing were known to be the main reasons of fauna and flora decline. Another important factor was noted to be droughts intensity due to climatic change of the area. It is concluded that prompt management plan of the Forestry Department Balochistan (Balochistan wildlife Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management) Act 1974 may be implemented in its full spirit at the earliest to save the vertebrate fauna, vegetation and natural fresh water reservoirs of Maslakh range forest, Pakistan.