Chinji National Park Explained

Chinji National Park
Iucn Category:	II
Map:	Pakistan
Relief:	1
Location:	Talagang, Salt Range, Punjab, Pakistan
Nearest City:	Jhalta
Coordinates:	33.0102°N 72.4919°W
Area Km2:	60.95
Elevation:	2231feet
Established:	1987
Visitation Num:	2000 - 5000
Governing Body:	Wildlife and Parks Department, Government of Punjab (Pakistan)

Chinji National Park (shortened as Chinji), established in 1987,^[1] is a protected area of IUCN category II (national park) located on Sargodha road Near Chinji Town in District Talagang Punjab, Pakistan.^[2] It covers a total area of 6095ha.^[3] Chinji National Park is located close to Salt Range, about 130 km from Islamabad in the south.

Landscape

The area has an elevation imperial of 2,231 feet (680 m). Deeply eroded land of Chinji consists of sandstone to igneous rocks, combined with small deposits of rock salt from the Salt Range. Deep torrential streams and ravines slope into the Soan River, which passes through the area.

Climate

Average annual rainfall in the area is 537 mm, out of which 308 mm is in the monsoon season from July to September. Maximum temperature is 27 °C in June and minimum is 2.2 °C in January. Frost is common in winter season. Relative humidity can reach up to 80% in monsoon.

Wildlife

The Chinji National Park exhibits the biome of deserts and xeric shrublands and falls in the ecoregion of 'Baluchistan xeric woodlands' (PA1307). The area is characterized to have sub-tropical vegetation with many plant species of importance. A few of the mammals found here include the Urial, Golden jackal, Bengal fox, Indian wolf and Indian pangolin. A few game birds include Grey francolin and Common wood pigeon^[4]

Fauna and flora

List of fauna found in the national park.^{[5] [6]}

Mammals

	Name	Scientific name	Picture
1		Paraechinus hypomelas
2		Suncus murinus
3		Golunda ellioti
4		Funambulus pennantii
5		Martes flavigula
6		Manis crassicaudata
7		Vulpes bengalensis
8		Vulpes vulpes
9		Canis lupus pallipes
10		Small Indian civet
11		Hemiechinus collaris
12		Hystrix indica
13		Rattus rattus
14		Mus musculus
15		Urva edwardsii
16		Urva auropunctata
17		Canis aureus indicus
18		Felis chaus
19		Felis lybica ornata
20		Ovis vignei punjabiensis

Reptiles

	Name	Scientific name	Picture
1		Varanus bengalensis
2		Hemidactylus flaviviridis
3		Calotes versicolor

Birds

	Name	Scientific name	Picture
1		Alectoris chukar
2		Ammoperdix griseogularis
3		Ortygornis pondicerianus
4		Coturnix coturnix
5		Columba livia
6		Himantopus himantopus
7		Spilopelia senegalensis
8		Vanellus indicus
9		Centropus sinensis
10		Halcyon smyrnensis
11		Pycnonotus cafer
12		Elanus axillaris
13		Milvus migrans
14		Anas crecca
15		Aythya ferina

See also

• List of national parks of Pakistan
• Salt Range

External links

• World Database On Protected Areas (WDPA) - Profile
• Conservation of dry shrub forests in Salt Range - Planning report
• wildlifeofpakistan.com

Notes and References

1. Web site: Country Report on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture - Pakistan . Pakistan Agricultural Research Council . parc.gov.pk . 22 September 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120118054012/http://www.parc.gov.pk/CountryReport.pdf . 18 January 2012 .
2. Web site: Chinji National Park ready to open this year. 3 January 2021. The Express Tribune.
3. Web site: Chinji National Park . World Database on protected Areas . wdpa.org . 22 September 2010 .
4. Web site: Ovis orientalis vignei . iucnredlist.org . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2010 . 22 September 2010.
5. Web site: Diversity and density of mammals in Chinji National Park, district Chakwal, Punjab, Pakistan . Kanwal . Rimsha . Zenodo . February 9, 2022 . Zenodo . November 17, 2023.
6. Web site: Chinji National Park: Unexplored beauty of Potohar landscape . Imran . Myra . The News . February 7, 2021 . The News . November 17, 2023.