Based on television images beamed to the world over the past few decades, Afghanistan appears to be a desolate region of rock and sand, a landscape of drought and human carnage. Yet, Afghanistan hosts a spectacular diversity of wildlife and many of its species have been threatened by the recurrent and protracted wars that have ravaged this country.
Among these threatened species are the reclusive snow leopard, markhors (large wild goats), Marco Polo sheep, urials (another wild sheep) and Asiatic black bears. Other native mammals include ibex, gray wolves, leopard cats, caracals, Pallas's cat, stone martens, lynx, Eurasian otters and Kashmir cave bats. At least 500 species of birds have been observed in Afghanistan, 200 of which breed in the country. Raptors include lammergeiers (large vultures), amur falcons, Eurasian eagle-owls and nine species of eagles, including Pallas's fish eagle. Other birds of note include grey herons, Dalmatian pelicans, black storks, greater and lesser flamingos, Himalayan snowcocks,, Demoiselle cranes, great bustards, pheasant-tailed jacanas and whiskered terns. Afghanistan hosts 3 species of bee-eaters, 7 species of sandgrouse, 8 species of shrike, 5 species of wagtail and 3 species of parakeet.
Indeed, when it comes to birds, Afghanistan rivals the Lower 48 of the U.S. in its diversity of species, though migrant and wintering birds account for the majority of its population. But when we consider the wide range of habitat on our Continent compared with the landlocked deserts and mountainous terrain of Afghanistan, its diversity of birds is truly impressive, reflecting the fact that Afghanistan, long a crossroads for human trade and migration, remains an important crossroads for avian travel.
