Abstracto

Analysis of Goral Population and its Extinction Causes in District Buner, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa

Zahidullah, Wasim Akram, Shahroz Khan, Naveed Akhtar and Kausar Saeed

Current study was conducted to know the Eco-biology of Goral species with reference to its distribution range, extending in District Buner Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The species are distributed in the whole District at various goral points, which were frequently visited, the points in are; Nanser, Kingargalay, Babosar, Mirdara, Gokand, Shangla-Buner Border, Elum Mountain, GarrooBarkalay, Mahaband and Malka. The Phyto-sociological studies on the habitat suggest the presence of at least 99 species of endospermic plants, distributed with a low constancy of appearance with three well defined vegetation layers; i.e. tree (22 species), shrubs (25 species), herbs (31 species) and grasses (21 species). Dodonea viscosa is the most prominent species among shrubs in the goral habitat in District Buner. The prominent threats leading to the extinction of Goral includes deforestation, lack of proper habitat, illegal anthropogenic over hunting, over grazing and most importantly lack of public awareness about wild life importance.