Staff Reporter
Aiming at long-term biodiversity conservation in an ecologically rich region of Thar, the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) through Thar Foundation and Pakistan’s top environmental body International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has launched a first ever survey of the fauna and flora of Tharparkar. The survey will assess the existing state of biodiversity and produce a fauna and flora inventory of the target area with occurrence, distribution, relative abundance and diversity of species along with their conservation status. The survey will also cover birds, reptiles, amphibians, small and large mammals, insects and vegetation. The data collected will lead to the identification and GIS-based mapping of wildlife hotspots and ecologically sensitive areas. The partnership agreement was signed in a ceremony which was attended by the representatives of IUCN Pakistan, Planning and Development Department, Sindh Wildlife Department, elected representatives from Thar, SECMC, Thar Foundation and Baanhn Beli Speaking on the occasion, Syed Abul Fazal Rizvi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SECMC and Thar Foundation highlighted the importance of such a survey and linked it to the ongoing conservation efforts currently underway through a SECMC-IUCN partnership in Thar.
