Wildlife of
Afghanistan

The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South and Central Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China.

Afghanistan is home to unique and diverse wildlife. Some are critically endangered and others are extinct. A few are the stuff of myth and legends. Read on to find out about all the unique and interesting animals that call Afghanistan home.

Afghanistan Wildlife Summary

Afghanistan is a landlocked dry and mountainous country located at the crossroads of Central and South Asia. The rugged northern mountains are an ideal hideaway for elusive snow leopards and Himalayan bears. There are also rivers, valleys, and lush marshes. These provide sustenance and shelter to a number of endangered herbivores, such as the Marco Polo sheep and the markhor goat. In the past, these animals attracted wolves and large feline predators, big cats including tigers, lions, and cheetahs.

The Official National Animal Of Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s national animal is the snow leopard. This elusive cat lives high in the mountains. It is rarely caught on video by trail cameras. The national bird is the golden eagle. Not only is it one of the best-known but it’s also one of the most recognizable birds of prey in the world.

The snow leopard is considered one of the most elusive and endangered leopards. It is believed this is the national animal because they exhibit the same bravery and courage as the Afghan people. This cat is smaller than other cats and they do well in snowy, cold areas and rocky mountains. Snow leopards can grow to lengths of 29 to 59 inches and weigh 55 to 121 lbs.

Afghanistan also has a national dog, the Afghan hound. These hounds have narrow faces and long fur on their ears, sides, and legs. They are a favorite show dog throughout the world.

Where To Find The Top Wild Animals In Afghanistan

Afghanistan has 8 national parks where you can discover the incredible and rare wildlife seen throughout the country. The forests of Nuristan have the most unique wildlife. This province borders Pakistan and has the lowest human population. Since 2020, almost the entire province is protected as a national park.

• The Band-e-Amir National Park, located in Nuristan in the mountainous desert of central Afghanistan, was established in 2009.
• Wakhan National Park, in northern Badakhshan province, larger than Yellowstone National Park, is the second park opened in the country, opening in 2014.
• Kol-e-Hashmat Khan, in Kabul, is a wetland opened in 2015 for protecting migrating birds.
• Bamiyan Plateau
• Forests of eastern Nuristan province (Nuristan National Park)
• Standing waters of eastern Ghazni
• Darqad District of northern Takhar province
• Imam Sahib District of northern Kunduz province

Some of Afghanistan’s top animals, including snow leopards and bears, live in the Pamir Mountains and the Karakoram Mountains in the northeast section of the country. They are an extension of the Himalayas.

The Most Dangerous Animals In Afghanistan Today

Afghanistan is home to a number of venomous animals, including snakes, spiders, and scorpions. The saw-scaled viper, one of the deadliest snakes in Asia, is responsible for causing the most snakebite cases, and the carpet viper can cause deadly blood clots and bleeding. The deathstalker scorpion is one of the most dangerous scorpions in the world. And bites from spiders such as the black widow, while rarely fatal, can cause an adult human to have multiple complications.

One of the most dangerous species of scorpions, the deathstalker scorpion has a low lethal dose of venom with a powerful mix of neurotoxins. Also known as the Palestine Yellow Scorpion, this deadly scorpion can be found in desert and scrubland habitats. Its sting is extremely painful and most fatal to those that are allergic, elderly, or very young.

Endangered Animals In Afghanistan

Many of Afghanistan’s large mammals are classified as “globally threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). These include big predators such as the snow leopard, wolves, and the Asiatic black bear, as well as herbivores like the urial, markhor, and Siberian musk deer.

The markhor is a wild horned goat that can be found in the mountains of Afghanistan. There are three subspecies, although they look primarily the same. They can reach weights of over 200 lbs and have incredible horns on their heads that spiral. While the markor’s numbers did shrink dangerously low and is currently on the rise, they are still in need of protection. They are poached for their horns, which are thought to have medicinal properties, and are also threatened due to loss of habitat.

Several big cats – the Asiatic cheetah, Caspian tiger, and Asiatic lion – once lived there, but they are now considered regionally extinct.

The Rarest Animal In Afghanistan

The Bactrian deer is a subspecies of the red deer and is so elusive that it was believed to have gone extinct. Known by quite a few names such as Bukhara deer, Bokhara deer, and Bactrian wapiti, they are native to Central Asia and are found in northern Afghanistan to the west of the Tian Shan Mountains. Due to the long-standing civil war of the 70s and 80s, which led to a loss of habit, there were no sightings of the deer until more recently. It is believed that today, wealthy people keep these deer as pets which is another issue in their conservation.

The number of Bactrian deer living in Afghanistan is estimated to be around 1900. In order to better reflect their status as endangered, they were merged with two additional red deer subspecies.

The Largest Animal In Afghanistan

The Asiatic black bear is also known as the moon bear, the white-chested bear, the Tibetan bear, and the Himalayan bear. With fewer than 60,000 bears remaining worldwide, this black bear is threatened by loss of habitat and agriculture. This is a medium-sized bear that grows to an average length of 51 to 75 inches, with males weighing between 220 to 440 pounds – females are generally half the weight of males. The distinguishing white mark on their chest is where they get the name “white-chested bear” and “moon bear” from – this mark is shaped like a crescent moon.