Hingol National Park – The Land of Wonders

Hingol National Park – The Land of Wonders

Introduction to Hingol National Park

The Hingol National Park (HNP), established in 1997, is the largest National Park of Pakistan. It is located in parts of the three districts Lasbela (34%), Awaran (58%) and Gwadar (8%) in Balochistan Province and covers a total area of 6,19,043 hectare.

It lies on N = 25.448067956° S = 65.547397890°. It gets low rainfall between 100 to 200 mm per year. The Hingol River runs through the park and before disgorging into the Arabian Sea forms an estuary which provides habitat to migratory water birds. It also provides habitat for a number of threatened and endangered species belonging to marine, estuarine and terrestrial fauna. The area is also habitat for flora suitable for arid and dry environments.

Geography of Hingol National Park

Hingol National Park is located along the Makran coastal region in southwestern Balochistan Province, in southwestern Pakistan. It is within sections of Lasbela District, Gwadar District, and Awaran District. The Gulf of Oman of the Arabian Sea is on the south. Karachi is approximately 190 kilometres (120 mi) to the southeast on the coast.

Natural History of Hingol National Park

Flora of Hingol National Park

Hingol National Park contains a variety of topographical features and habitats, varying the from the arid subtropical forest in the north to arid montane in the west. Large areas of the park are covered with drift sand and can be classified as coastal semi-desert. The park includes the estuary of the Hingol River which supports a significant diversity of bird and fish species.

Some 250 plant species were recorded in the initial surveys including 7 yet undescribed species. Many more species are yet to be collected.

Main species of the area are:

• Kandi (Prosopis cineraria)
• Kikar (Acacia nilotica)
• Ber (Zizphus nummuleria)
• Mesquite (Prosopis juliflora)
• Ghaz (Tamarix aphylla)
• Guggle (Commiphora mukul)
• Jar/Pilu (Salvadora oleoides)
• Kahur (Acacia senegal)
• Chigard (Acacia jacqumontii)
• Lana (Sueeda Fruticosa)
• Kalair (Capparis Spp.)
• Ak (Calotropis procera)
• Mangrove (Avicina spp, Rhizophora spp)
• Thuar (Euphorbia spp)

Fauna of Hingol National Park

Hingol National Park is known to support at least 35 species of mammals, 65 species of amphibians and reptiles and 185 species of birds. The park forms an excellent habitat to wild Sindh Ibex, Balochistan Urial, and Chinkara Gazelle.

Ibex is found in all steep mountain ranges and numerous in the Hinglaj and Rodani Kacho Mountain areas. The total population is estimated over 3000.

Mammals of Hingol National Park

• Indian fox
• Jungle cat
• Pakistan sand cat
• Striped hyena
• Golden jackal
• Sindh ibex
• Urial
• Chinkara
• Honey badger
• Indian pangolin
• long-eared hedgehog
• Indian crested porcupine
• Indian gray mongoose
• Cairo spiny mouse

Reptiles / Amphibians / Fish of Hingol National Park

• Reptiles

  • Marsh crocodile
  • Olive ridley
  • Green sea turtle
  • Desert monitor
  • Yellow monitor
  • Indian fringe-fingered lizard
  • Indian sand-swimmer
  • Carrot-tail viper gecko and the Melanophidium bilineatum

• Amphibians

  • Skittering frog
  • Indus Valley toad

• Fish

  • Golden mahasheer
  • Botchee
  • Mushka
  • Koorji
  • Mud Skipper
  • Boi, etc

Birds of Hingol National park

• Houbara bustard
• Spot-billed pelican
• Dalmatian pelican
• Bonelli’s eagle
• Imperial eagle
• Golden eagle
• Tawny eagle
• Griffon vulture
• Egyptian vulture
• Cinereous vulture
• Laggar falcon
• Red-necked falcon
• Kestrel
• Brown-necked raven
• Lichtenstein’s sandgrouse
• Grey partridge
• See-see partridge
• Stone-curlew
• Indian sandgrouse
• Crowned sandgrouse
• Painted sandgrouse
• Eurasian stone-curlew
• Eagle owl
• Sind pied woodpecker
• Hume’s chat
• Long-billed pipit
• Striped buning
• Finch-larks
• Hoopoe
• Shrike
• Black bittern
• Goliath heron
• Black ibis
• Wheatear

Special Features of Hingol National Park – The Land of Wonders

HNP is a unique complex of three ecosystems including desert, mountainous, and marine ecosystems. It accommodates unique Cultural / Archeological / Geographical Features that include:

Graves of Soldiers of Muhammad Bin Qasim (RA)

Nani Mandir Hinglaj – Special religious site for Hindu Communities

Chandar Gup (Live Mud Volcano)

Princess of Hope along the coastal highway

Undulating Hingol River – The longest river of Balochistan

109 km Coastal Highway passing through the Park

Information Center located at Aghor Hingol National Park

Beautiful Kund Malir, Golden Beach and the shore of Arabian Sea

17 Reasons You Must Visit Hingol National Park

Outline of the reasons that make Hingol National Park stand out:

1. It is the largest National Park of not only Balochistan Province, but also of Pakistan.
2. The graves of soldiers of Muhammad Bin Qasim – the Muslim conqueror of Sindh, dating 712 AD, are located in Hingol National Park.
3. The largest Hindu Religious Site, Hinglaj Mandir (Nani Hinglaj) which is about 0.2 million years old is a very special religious site for Hindu Community is located in Hingol National Park.
4. Every year thousands of Hindus from all over the world visit this site, as it is maha yatra for them, in the month of March.
5. Chandar Gup – a live mud volcano which is 300 feet above the sea level is a distinguished feature of Hingol National Park.
6. Undulating Hingol River – the largest river of Balochistan ie about 350 miles long – flows through Hingol National Park.
7. The park is unique in its nature having Marsh Crocodile in it with their natural ecosystem.
8. 107 Km of beautiful Mekran Coastal Highway goes across it.
9. Hingol National Park is a unique complex of three ecosystems viz. desert, mountainous, and marine ecosystems which results in large variety of both fauna and flora inside National Park.
10. It has once remained the passage of the army of Alexander the Great.
11. Princess of Hope – a naturally carved elegant structure of a female increase in the beauty of Hingol National Park.
12. The Lion of Balochistan – another naturally carved structure of a lion is another eye capturing structure.
13. Hingol National Park is known to support at least 35 species of mammals, 65 species of amphibians and reptiles and 185 species of birds.
14. Some 250 plant species are found in Hingol National Park.
15. Amazing Community/People of Hingol National Park.
16. Beautiful Mud Mountains in Hingol national park stretches out to approximately 1,650 km is the longest throughout Pakistan.
17. Watching beautiful beaches including Golden Beech, Kund-Malir Beach etc and welcoming sunrise and calming sunset.

SEE ALSO:

(Video) 😲17 Reasons You Must Visit Hingol National Park Balochistan | Forestrypedia [Urdu/Hindi]

(Video) 🛩️Aerial View of Hingol National Park Balochistan

(Video) The Most Comprehensive Video on Hingol National Park with English Subtitles

Hingol National Park (Detailed Presentation)

Hingol National Park (Important Maps)

• Author Details

Naeem Javid Muhammad Hassani

Naeem Javid Muhammad Hassani is working as Conservator of Forests in Balochistan Forest & Wildlife Department (BFWD). He is the CEO of Tech Urdu (techurdu.net) Forestrypedia (forestrypedia.com), All Pak Notifications (allpaknotifications.com), Essayspedia, etc & their YouTube Channels). He is an Environmentalist, Blogger, YouTuber, Developer & Vlogger.

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