Field Tour Report- Kallar Kahar

1. Field Tour Report
KallarKahar
Submitted By:
Sadia Rahat (43)

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Table of Contents
Sr. No: Topic Pg. No:
1 Introduction
 Location of kalar kahar
 Climate of kalar kahar
2
2 Kalar Kahar Lake Formation 6
3 Biodiversity of kalar kahar
 Class pisces
 Class amphibia
 Class reptilia
 Class aves
 Class mammalia
6
4 Resident species 12

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5 Visitor species 13
6 Issues and threats 13

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Introduction
Kallar kahar location:-
Kallar Kahar Lake is a partof the overall Salt Range WetlandsComplexand
is located in District Chakwalcovering an area of 85 hectares. It is also
capital of Kallar Kahar Tehsil. The Lake was declared as a GameReserve on
31stMay, 2006 under section 18 of the PunjabWildlife(Protection,
Preservation, Conservation and Management)Act, 1974. Located in Punjab
Provinceat a distanceof 25 km north to Chakwal city. Kallar Kahar Lake is
situated at a distance of about 135 km from RawalpindiviaChakwalroad
whereas 100km from Islamabad by Motorway to the south and from
Chakwalit is about 30kmsto the south-west on Chakwal-Sargodha road. It
is located between 32o 46’30.31Northlatitudeand 72o 42’23.80East
longitudeat an altitude of 554 m above sea level.The lake is located at the
edge of Potowar Plateau and the Salt Range.
Climate of kalar kahar :-
The climate of the area is sub-humid sub-tropicalcontinental type
with hot to moderate summer and severewinter. The thirty-year average
precipitation was853 mm for the Salt Rangeregion but is estimated 500
mm for Kallar Kahar.
Rainy seasons ofkalar kahar :-
There are two rainy seasons in kalar kahar.
1. Summer season.
2. Winter season.
The summer season or the monsoon rainsstart by about mid July and last
untilthe mid of September. Mostof the precipitation is received during
July, Augustand September. The winter rains begin in January and persist
up to beginning of March. May is the driest monthof the year.

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Temperature :-
The mean monthly temperaturevariesbetween 5.9 - 38.4oC,
January beingthe coldest and Junethe hottest month of the year. During
wintersthe temperatureoften dropsto below zero, usually in December
and January.
*Table shows annualtemperatureof kalar kahar.
Month Temperature
Min (0
C)
Mean
temperature
(0
C)
Temperature
Max (0
C)
January
3.1 10.2 17.3
February 5.6 12.4 19.3
March 10.8 17.5 24.2
April 15.9 23 30.2
May 20.7 28.2 35.7
June 25 32 39
July 25 30 35
August 24.1 28.6 33.1
September 22 27.7 33.4
October 15.6 23.1 30.7
November 8.6 16.8 25
December 4 11.7 19.5

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Kalar Kahar Lake Formation
Margilla hill:
Margilla hills are located in hilly terrain of pothwar region. In the south of Margilla hills salt
range is present which dip towards north. It has monoclinic nature.
Salt range:
In the east of salt range River Jhelum is present while on the west River Indus is located.
Central part of salt range move towards east. Strike slip is present on both sides of it.
Formation of lake:
 In the salt range due to movement fractures and depressions are developed (failed drift).
If vertical movement occur than fractures may develop. If stretching occurs then
depressions may occur which develop lakes one of which is Kalarkahar Lake. (Faulted
contact of younger rock with older rocks). Peacocks and snake found in kalarkahar lake
shows biodiversity.
 Climate of salt range is different from Punjab plain and Pothwar plateau. Climateis
warmer in Punjab plain; katas is the warmest place in Punjab plain.
 Behavior of lake is not good due to pollution.
Biodiversityof kalar kahar
Biodiversity of kalah kahar includeanimalsbelonging to followingclasses.
Class Pisces
Survey of fish faunawas undertaken duringAugust2007and themajor
objective wasto enlist and describe existing fish species in the lake.
1. Indigenousfishfauna.
2. Introduced fishfauna.
Indigenous fish fauna :-
I. Cyprinionwatsoni locally known as Sabzug
II. Crossocheiluslatius locally known as Dogra
III. Puntiusvittatus locally known as Popra

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Introducedfish fauna :-
I. Cyprinuscarpio locally known as Common Carp
II. Oreochromismossambicus locally known asTilapia
Taxonomy :-
Kingdom : Animalia
Phylm : Chordata
Subphylum : Vertebrate
Class : Pisces
Characteristics of fish :-
a) Fish are mostly ectothermic.
b) They have gill slits which they use to breathe by drawingoutoxygen
from the water around them.
c) All fish are vertebrates.
d) Most are covered in scales while some can be covered in skin.
e) Their limbs end in fins and not in digits.

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Class Amphibian
Frog:-
Scientific name: Rana tigrina
Taxonomy :-
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Sub-class: Lissamphibia
Order: Anura
Characteristics of frog :-
a. Two bulgingeyes high, round eyes.
b. Strong, long, webbed hind feet that are adapted for leaping and
swimming.
c. Smooth or slimy skin.
d. Need to live by water.
e. Teeeth in upper jaw.
f. Long legs.
g. Frogs have sucker-like adhesivedisks, or suction pads, which aid in the
climbing of vertical surfaces, on the tips of their fingers and toes.

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Class Reptilian
Snake :-
Scientific name:- Serpentes
Taxonomy :-
Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Reptilia
Order : Squamata
Superfamily : Varanoidea
Characteristics of snake :-
a. The skeleton of most snakes
consists solely of the skull, hyoid, vertebral column, and ribs.
b. skin of a snake is covered in scales.
c. The eyelidsof a snakeare transparent“spectacle” scales, which remain
permanently closed, also known as brille.
d. Snake is cold blooded.
e. It has an inner ear which detects sound from sound waveshitting its
skin.

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Class Aves
Ostrich:-
Scientific name: - Struthio camelus
Taxonomy:-
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Sub-phylum: Vertebrate
Class: Aves
Super order: Paleognathae
Order: Struthioniformes
Family: Struthionidae
Genus: Struthio
Species: S.camelus
Characteristics of ostrich:-
 The ostrich is the largest living bird, weighing up to 300 poundsand
standingas tall as eight feet
 Females are gray-brown, and males are black with white tail and wing
feathers.
 The wingsare used for a great variety of highly developed displays, but
not for flying.
 The head is small, with large eyes and a short, flat bill.
 Their powerfullegsmakethem capable of runningup to 40 miles per
hour.

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Peacock:-
Taxonomy:-
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Subfamily: Phasianinae
Genus: Pavo
Species: Pavo cristatus, Pavo
muticus
Characteristics of Peacock:-
 The way to best spot a peacock is by lookingat his tail, or "train."
Feathers that are many feet long dragbehind the peacock as he struts.
 Peacocks are one of the largest flyingbirds in the world.
 They moverather slowly, thuscreating an appearanceofstrutting.
 His tail feathers when fanned outextend more than 5 feet.
 The bird has a relatively longneck.
 Peacock feet are three-toed, long and scraggly, rather like emu feet.

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Class Mammalian
Punjab Urial :-
Scientific name: Ovisvignei
Taxonomy:-
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Genus: Ovis
Species: O. orientalis
Characteristics of Punjab Urial :-
 It has horns, no duh, but as a responceto the cold weather in winter, its
fur turnsgray.
 Urial males have large horns, curlingoutwardsfrom the top of the head
turningin to end somewherebehind the head.
 Females have shorter, compressed horns.
 The hornsof the males may be up to 100 cm (39 in) long.
 The shoulder height of an adult male urialis between 80 and 90 cm (31
and 35 in).
Resident Species:
Amongthe residentspecies, House Crow, HouseSparrow, Common
Myna,Indian Kite, PurpleSunbird, Red-vented Bulbul, White-cheeked
Bulbul, Red-wattled Lapwing, Cattle Egret, Pond Heron, werevery common.
Blackshouldered, Grey Partridge, PheasantCrow, Hoopoe, Black Partridge,

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Brown-rock Chat, Robin, Indian Nightjar, Tailor Bird, Indian Reef Heron,
CoppersmithBarbet and White-Eyed wererecorded as rare in the area.
Visitor species :-
Little Green Bee-Eater, Common Koel, Bee-Eater, were recorded; only
Little Green Bee-Eater was found in good numbers.Amongthe passage
migrant, only Grey Heron wasrecorded, it is also considered as
wintervisitor to Pakistan. Amongthe winter visitors, Coot, Common
Pochard, Common sandpiper,Mallard,Indian Redstart, Yellow Wagtailand
Large-pied Wagtail wererecorded.
Issuesand threat
 Illegal huntingand poaching of wildlife.
 Clearingof forest land from catchment area.
 Extraction of fuelwood from catchmentarea.
 Illegal livestock grazing in and around the Protected Area
 Lack of information aboutthe biodiversity of the area.
 Zonation of the Kallar Kahar GameReserve.
 Introduction of exotic fish species.
 Presenceof invasivespecies.
 Non biodegradable pollution originating from a broad range of
human activities.
 Encroachmentinto the lake.
 Poverty and limited livelihood opportunities.
 Diversion of water for fruit orchardsand other agriculturaluses.
Illegal cutting of wetlandsvegetation for community-based products.