Naltar Wildlife Sanctuary


The Naltar Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area located in the Naltar Valley near Nomal, in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.

Location

Naltar Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Naltar Valley close to Hunza Valley, a mountainous valley in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, about from the city of Gilgit.

The sanctuary

Naltar Wildlife Sanctuary was created on 22 November 1975. It occupies an area of and adjoins two other protected areas, Sher Quillah Game Reserve and Pakora Game Reserve, the total area of all three being over. Naltar Valley is a fluvio-glacial valley with a U-shaped cross section higher up and a V-shaped cross section lower down. It is aligned from northwest to southeast and has high mountains on either side. The sanctuary extends from the valley bottom up to at Shanni Glacier. The precipitation varies between and the winters are very cold, with the higher reaches of the river freezing.

Flora

The sanctuary is forested, there being a luxurious growth of mixed montane broadleaf and coniferous forest at lower altitudes, and montane coniferous forest higher up. Coniferous species present include Picea and Juniperus. Deciduous trees present include Fraxinus, Olea, Pistacia, Sageretia, Betula, Salix, Populus and Krascheninnikovia ceratoides. Herbs present include Artemisia, Haloxylon and Stipa.

Fauna

A small number of Astor markhor, an endangered species of wild goat, lives in the reserve. Other large mammals present include the Alpine ibex, the snow leopard, the brown bear, the grey wolf, the red fox, the beech marten and the leopard cat. About 35 species of bird have been recorded in the sanctuary, including the Brooks's leaf-warbler.