The Pamirs of Tajikistan are home to a plethora of fascinating wildlife and birds, many of which are rare and endangered. In some cases, Tajikistan and its nature reserves, national parks and conservancies, is one of the best places to see these last remaining species in their natural habitat.
The Pamir region in Tajikistan, specifically where it nears the border with Afghanistan, is one of the best wildlife watching spots in Tajikistan. Here, you will find all sorts of local fauna and flora, such as the Marco Polo sheep, Tian Shan brown bear, Pamir ibex, markhors, and even the occasional snow leopard. In fact, the wildlife of the Pamirs is known to be so good here that you hardly need to dedicate more than a weekend in the Pamirs to see it all.
Marco Polo sheep
Easily identified by its huge spiral-shaped horns, the Marco Polo sheep, also known as the Pamir argali, is a subspecies of argali sheep. They are arguably the most famous wildlife in Tajikistan.
Named after the famous 13th-century explorer who wrote about finding the argali sheep in his booked called ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’, this endangered species is sought-after by poachers for its horns. It does not help that Tajik locals have used their horns along with the ibex to mark their sacred shrines and religious sites for centuries.
The best place to see Marco Polo sheep in Tajikistan is in the highlands of the Pamir Mountains and in Alichur in the Murghab district. Visitors can trek the valley and Pamir Highway in search of these unusual creatures.
Pamir ibex in Tajikistan
If you are looking to see Pamir ibex in Tajikistan, a subspecies of the Siberian ibex of Central Asia, then you are in luck. These species of ibex are the largest of their kind and can grow the longest and largest horns – full-size males can weigh up to an impressive 130 kilograms!
Unlike the Siberian ibex, the Pamir ibex has a light brown coloring that changes shades on different parts of the body. They tend to have a noticeable dorsal stripe contrasted by a lighter saddle patch.
Pamir markhors
A markhor is a large species of Capra that is native to the mountains of Central Asia. Hunted for its towering spiral horns, it is one of the Pamir’s near-threatened species, featured on the IUCN Red List.
The nature reserves between Qalai-Khumb and Kulob are excellent places to spot markors in Tajikistan as well as the birds of prey that often swoop overhead. Trekking is popular in this region but the challenging routes are better suited to experienced hikers.
Pamir snow leopards
You may be wondering ‘can I see a snow leopard in Tajikistan?’ Well, the answer is yes but you will have to put the work in. Known for being sly creatures that slink through the mountains, spotting them is a wonderful treat. It does not happen often, so if you spot one on your trip through the Tajikistan Pamirs, you can count yourself lucky.
Winter is the best time to see snow leopards in Tajikistan when they roam down from the mountains in search of prey so keep your eyes peeled!
Birds of the Pamirs
The Pamirs are a fantastic destination for avid bird watchers with a range of high-altitude birds, desert birds, and other interesting river and valley birds of Tajikistan.
Bring your binoculars and head off in search of brown-headed gulls, ruddy shell duck, desert wheatear, lesser sand plover, blue rock thrush, and large-billed reed warbler. Other common species include white-winged woodpeckers, eastern rock nuthatch, variable wheateater, and Hume’s whitethroat, Indian sparrows, and oriental turtledove to name a few.
Endangered Pamir wildlife, Tajikistan
Tajikistan’s Pamir region is home to a large number of rare, endangered and protected animals and birds. Various projects to try and rebuild populations of these at-risk species are on-going.
For one, the Marco Polo sheep is one of the most endangered animals in Tajikistan. Fortunately, projects like the Mountain Ungulates Project in Tajikistan are working alongside the government’s Nature Protection Team to look after these amazing animals.
The Tian Shan subspecies of brown bear and snow leopard are two more endangered animals of the Pamir, Tajikistan. But many threatened and endangered species go far beyond the animals you may recognize. Even magnificent butterflies such as the Parnassius Autocrator that call this corner of the globe home are disappearing fast.
In order to protect the amazing wildlife of the Tajikistan Pamirs and beyond, Tajikistan has created a host of gorgeous nature reserves and national parks. You will find these nature conservancies all over Tajikistan and along the Pamir Highway, particularly in the Tajik villages of Alichur, Darshaydara, Ravmeddara, Kisht, Shuroabad, M-Sayod and Zong.
Pamir National Park
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Pamir National Park is one of the best places for wildlife watching in the Pamirs. In fact, it is one of the best places to see some of the most celebrated Tajikistan wildlife in one place. Made up of a diverse array of natural habitats, from grassland and semi-desert stretches to alpine meadows, the park sustains a whole host of Tajikistan fauna and flora.
Known for its long, cold winters and cool, mild summers, Pamir National Park is an excellent trekking destination. As you are walking through the park, keep an eye out for Marco Polo sheep, brown bears, wolves, markhor, and snow leopards.
Wildlife tours in the Pamirs of Tajikistan
If you would like to see the fauna and flora of Tajikistan for yourself, most notably the wildlife of the Pamir Plateau, then book a trip with Paramount Journey. As most of these animals prefer to be away from civilization, they can often be hard to spot if you do not know what you are doing.
Fortunately, whether you prefer to go trekking or book a jeep safari, you will be joined by expert Tajikistan nature guides who tell you all about these rare and unusual Tajik animals. Take a look at our tours and itineraries for more information!
