Exploring Balochistan Coast as key Sea Bird Sanctuaries: New Records of Avian Fauna

Document Type : Research articles

Authors

Asadullah Ali Muhammad ¹

Alireza Sari ²

¹ Fisheries and Coastal Development Department, Government of Balochistan

² School of Biology and Centre of Excellence in Phylogeny, College of Science, University of Tehran, Iran

10.22067/ijab.2026.96695.1115

Abstract

The study documents two new seabird records for Pakistan, Anous tenuirostris (Lesser Noddy) and Sula leucogaster (Brown Booby) and confirms additional observations of Sula dactylatra (Masked Booby) along the Makran coast of Balochistan. Surveys conducted at Astola Island, Juddi Beach (Pasni), and Gurab Island recorded these species as non-resident visitors primarily using the area for foraging. All three recorded species are currently listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. However, their sporadic presence in Pakistani waters underscores the need for continued monitoring to assess any potential shifts in distribution patterns, possibly related to climate change, marine productivity, or habitat disturbances in the wider Indian Ocean region. Supported by local ecological knowledge, the findings indicate recent seasonal occurrences and potential range extensions into the northern Arabian Sea. The findings highlight the Makran coast as a potentially important seabird sanctuary and emphasize the need for continued monitoring to better assess avian diversity and inform regional conservation planning.

Keywords

Noddy

Booby

New records

Pasni

Gurrab Island

Subjects

• Biodiversity assessment
• Ecology and Evolution
• Zoogeography

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