Indus Valley Desert

Coordinates: 31°15′N 71°40′E / 31.250°N 71.667°E / 31.250; 71.667
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Indus Valley Desert
Urdu)
Geography
CountryPakistan
StatePunjab
Coordinates31°15′N 71°40′E / 31.250°N 71.667°E / 31.250; 71.667 

The Indus Valley Desert is an almost uninhabited desert ecoregion of northern Pakistan.

Location and description

The Indus Valley desert covers an area of 19,501 square kilometers (7,529 sq mi) in northwestern

northwestern thorn scrub forests that surround it with temperatures ranging from freezing in winter to extremely hot (more than 45 °C (113 °F)) in summer with only 600–800 mm (20–30 in) of rainfall per year.[1]

Biodiversity

Shurbs found throughout this desert.

Flora

The desert vegetation is quite varied due to the variety of temperatures with

Khejri
shrubs being the characteristic species.

Adult Striped hyena.
Indian wolf roaming in desert.
Red-necked falcon, one of the bird species found in Indus Valley Desert.

Fauna

The desert is home to five large mammals: Indian wolf, striped hyena, caracal, Indian leopard and the urial (Ovis orientalis punjabensis) along with many rodents and other mammals. Meanwhile, the 190 species of bird in the desert include the red-necked falcon.

Threats and preservation

Like the nearby Thar Desert, the Indus Valley desert has little farming or grazing due to its hard climate and therefore the natural habitats are almost intact. A 2017 study estimated approximately 12,176 square kilometers in protected areas.[2]

However, hunting still goes on and is a threat to caracals, wolves and other mammals.

References

  1. ^ "Indus Valley Desert". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
  2. PMID 28608869
    .
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