SINDH FLORA AND FAUNA -

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Flora and Fauna; Sindh Province

Flora; Sindh Province

Sindh[1] is endowed with a rich diversity of flora. This flora is used as fodder for livestock, and as source of food in rural homes; some flora is used in industry, as well as in production of medicines. Pakistan is among the leading exporters of medicinal plants, a large number of which are found in Sindh. Some important flora of Sindh is as follows:

Common name	Scientific name	Common name	Scientific name
Ak	Calotropis procera	Jhangra ber (Jangli ber)	Zizyphus nummularia
Amb	Mangifera indica	Kalvari	Capparis spinosa
Angari	Amaranthus species	Kandero	Alhagi camelorum
Asri	Tamarix articulate (aphylla)	Kandi	Prosopis spicigera
Babul	Acacia Arabica (nilotica)	Kanwal Peru	Solanum incertum
Bahan	Populus euphratica	Kanh	Saccharum spontaneum
Baid Mushk	Eucalytputs camaldulensis	Devi	Prosopis juliflora
Ber	Zizyphus jujuba (Manratiana)	Khabbar	Salvadera persica
Bhatan	Lausen species	Khip	Orthanthera viminea
Buh	Asurua lanata	Khushbudar kandi	Acacia fernesiana
Bukan	Lippias nodiflora	Kinro	Salvia species
Bur	Ficus bengslensis	Kirar	Capparis aphylla (deciduas)
Chatura	Xanthium strumarium	Lai (Lye) (3 different varieties)	Tamarix diocia (deciduas)
Dubh	Cynodon dactylon	Lalri	Withania somnifera
Gah	Eragrostis japonica	Gah	Eragrostis minor
Gedoora (Lasura)	Cordia myxa (dicotoma)	Lani	Salsola foetida
Gidamari (Imli)	Tamarindus indica	Liar	Cordial rothi
Gidar Phali	Astragalus contrortuplicentus	Lulliar	Achyranthes attennifolia
Jamu (jaman)	Eugenia jambolana	Mesquite	Prosopis juliflora
Jar	Salvadora oleoides	Munj	Saccharum munja
Jhil	Indigofera pauciflora (Oblogifolla)	Pann	Typha species
Phar, Pann	Blumea species (blumea aromatica)	Pipur (papal)	Ficus religiosa
Sar	Saccharum spontasium	Sirah	Albizzia lebbeck
Phog	Calligonum polygonoides	Kandi	Prosopis cineraria

Table 1.10 Sindh Flora

Fauna; Sindh Province

A huge variety of birds is found in Sindh. Some important birds are:

Common name	Local name	Common name	Local name
Great Bustard	Barri tiloor, Hukna	Houbara/Macqueens Bustard	Tiloor, Houbara
Common/blue peafowl	Neela more, mor	Partridge	Kala titar, karo titar
Gray partridge	Bhura titar, Acho titar	Yellow legged green pigeon	Harrial kabootar
Red turtle dove	Surkh fakhta	Dalmation Pelican	Hawasal, painn pakhi
Lesser flamingo	Lum dheeng, laakho jani	Snake bird	Jall kawwa
White stork	Safaid laqlaq/acchi toor	Painted stork	Rangen laqlaq, chitrod toor
Greater painted snipe	Rangeen isnif	Sociable lapwig	Tattihiri, sehkari teeto
Pheasant tailed jacana	Peeho, peehoori	Spot billed duck	Hanjar batakh, khanjar
Marbled teal	Mar marin batakh	Mallard	Neel sar, neergi
Brahiminy	Surkhab, lallo hanj	Brown headed gull	Bhuri sar Kina
Caspian tern	Caspian dhumrah, kekrah	Indian skimmer/scissors bill	Quainchi choonch/pann cheer
Sarus crane	Sarus koonj	Imperial eagle	Shahi oqab
Pallas’s fish eagle	Palasi oqab, machh manga	Peregrine falcon	Behri/kala shaheen
Saker falcon	Charagh/saker baaz	Eurasian eagle owl/great horned eagle	Oqabi ullu
Lesser golden-backed woodpecker	Sunheri khutkhut	Sindh pied woodpecker	Sindhi khatkhat
Blue cheeked bee eater	Bara mugs khor/traklo	Golden oriole	Sunhari peelak, peelkio
Indian treepie/Rufus treepie	Nabatati Zagh/katar khaan	Common Punjabi raven /desert raven	Doodh kaag/pahari kawwa
Pied crested/Jacobin cuckoo	Choti dar koel/tarro	Rosy starling/rosy pastor	Tillear, gulabi myna
Jordans babbler	Jordan ki ghogal, doomni, pinjhrro	Sindh Jungle sparrow	Sindhi gorria, jungle chirria
Red avadavat/ red munia	Surkh piddi, garrho cheeho	Baya weaver	Baya, Borrhi
Ashy crowned finch lark		Bank myna
Black bellied tern		Black headed ibis
Black kite		Cattle egret

Table 1.11 Sindh Avifauna

Sindh houses a huge variety of mammals, both large and small. Here is a list of some important mammals of Sindh

Common name	Local name	Common name	Local name
Sindh Ibex/ Persian wild goat	Sarah, pahari bakra	Afghan urial/ Asian wild sheep	Gad, pahari dumba
Indian desert gazelle/ Chinkara	Chinkara, hiran	Black buck/ Indian savanna antelope	Kala hiran
Hog deer/ parah deer	Phara, barasingha	Blue bull/ nilgai	Nilgai, rojh
Indian wild ass/ gorkhar/ onagar	Khur jungle gadha, gorkhar khuchhar	Striped hyena	Hyaena hyaena
Indian desert wolf	Bherria, baghar	Indian desert fox	Lomrri, lomarr
Caracal/ red lynx	Siah gosh, harola	Jungle cat/swamp cat	Jungle billi
Fishing cat	Machhi khor billi	Small Indian civet	Mushk billi, rasse
Honey badger/ ratel	Bijju, gor pat	Scaly ant eater/ pangolin	Chiunti khor, chhalerano
Indus blind dolphin	Bulhann, susu dolphin, andhy dolphin	Smooth-coated otter	Udh bilao, luddarr
Flying fox/fulvous Fruit bat	Urra lomrri,meva khor, chimgadar	Blue whale/ sulphur bottom whale	Neeli whale, mangrail
Mouse like hamster	Chooha	Asiatic Jackal	Geedar/giddar
Caracal or desert lynx	Siva gush	Indian Wild boar	Suar
Feral donkey	Jangli gadha	Bottle nosed dolphin	Malhar
Small Indian mongoose	neola	Finless porpoise	Tabi
Indian pangolin	Bagra, silu	Indian hedgehog
Wolf	Canis lupus	Hyena	Hyaena hyaena
Leopard	Panthera pardus	Punjab urial	Ovis orientalis punjabensis

Table 1.12 Sindh Mammals

A large number of amphibians and reptiles are found in Sindh. Some important reptiles and amphibians are:

Common name	Local name	Common name	Local name
Indian Ocean green turtle	Samandri Sabz Kachwa	Pacific Olive Ridley turtle	Samdri Zaituni Kachwa
Spotted pond turtle	Talabi kachwa	Indian Saw back River turtle	Daryai kachwa
Starred tortoise	Sitara kachwa	Marsh/ snub-nosed crocodile	Magar much, mugger, wago
Yellow-striped monitor lizard	Goh, dhar dhar goh	Fat tailed/ leopard gecko	Hannkhann, cheetah chikali
Banded dwarf gecko	Dhari dhar choti chipkali	Orange tailed Sand skink	Narangi dum regmahi, makh chatti
Indian chameleon	Rung badal girgit	Indian rock python	Azdha, arrarh blah
Russell’s sand boa	Ruselle ki domuhi	Oxus/ black cobra	Kala naag, cobra
Indian common krait	Sang choor, peeun blah	Russell’s viper	Ghorriala, dumbhar blah
Red spotted diadem snake	Shahi naag, korar	Pakistan ribbon/ sand snake	Regi saamp, shehgi
Sindh river snake	Daryal saamp	Beaked sea snake	Chonch dar samundari saamp
Slender blind snake	Andha saamp, sampolia	Indus toad	Khushki ka maindak

Table 1.13 Sindh Amphibians and Reptiles

Some fresh water fish species of the Indus Eco-region include:

Scientific name	Local name	Scientific name	Local name
Channa marulia	Chito	Clupisoma garua	Dhongino
Channa punctata	Shakur	Colisa fasciata	Kangi
Cirrhinus mrigala	Morakhi	Gibelion catla	Theli
Cirrhinus reba	Ganer	Glossogobius giuris	Gullo
Gudusia chapra	Palri	Labeo rohita	Kuriro/Rahu
Heteropneustes fossilis	Luhar	Mystus cavasius	Thengino
Labeo calbasu	Dahi	Notopterus notopterus	Gandhni
Labeo gonius	Surhiyo	Oreochromis mossambicus	Dayo
Labeo rohita	Kuriro/Rahu	Oreochromis mossambicus	Dayo
Oreochromis mossambicus	Dayo

Table 1.14 Sindh Fish Species

[1] Sindh, State of Environment and Development by IUCN