Physico-Chemical Assessment of Water Quality and its Effects on Marsh Crocodiles, Crocodylus palustris Population in Haleji Lake Wildlife Sanctuary, Thatta, Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

Present study was carried out in Haleji Lake Wildlife Sanctuary (240' 48" N, 600' 47" E ) Thatta, Sindh, Pakistan from January to December 2009. Evaluation of physico-chemical quality of water such as: temperature (air and water), pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, turbidity, calcium, magnesium, bi-carbonate, chloride, sodium, potassium, sulphur, carbonate, biological oxygen demand and dissolved oxygen were compared with the recognized standards of world health organization and their impacts on Marsh Crocodiles. It was examined that the level of EC, Turb, Hard, K and HCO3 was higher and Lake water suggest that the current population is threatened. While pH, TDS, Ca, Mg, Alkal, Cl, Na, SO4, As, BOD and DO values were in tolerable range. We analyzed our data with mean ± SD (Standard Deviation). Marsh Crocodile is considered vulnerable and threatened in Pakistan due to hunting pressure, alteration of habitat and poor water quality in the last decades. The current studies witnessed that the quality of lake water was changing as a result of discharge of untreated wastes from industries. Due to poor water quality of Haleji Lake which may pose problems to Crocodile population.