Why in News?
Recently, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, the aerial image of Khor Kalmat lagoon appear darker and more vibrant, like blue ink bleeding.
- Khor Kalmat – It is a tidal lagoon that fully forms only at high tide, when waters from the Arabian Sea run through a narrow channel carved into the coastline.
- At low tide, it almost completely empties, leaving behind exposed mudflats.
- Located in – Makran Coast in Pakistan's Balochistan province, around 180 miles west of Karachi.
- It is cut off from the rest of the mainland by harsh desert mountains, known as the Makran Coast Ridge, which run parallel to much of the country's coast.
- Area – It spans around 17 miles at its widest point and includes Makran Coastal Range, an arid desert mountain land.
- Supports life – It is home to sizable mangrove forests, which are an important nursery for juvenile fish, as well as other marine organisms, such as crustaceans and mollusks.
- At low tide, it provide a hunting ground for wading birds that reside in Buzi Makola Wildlife Sanctuary, which lies west of lagoon.
- Supports livelihood – It provides timber to the few local people who live alongside the lagoon.
- Threats – Overfishing, deforestation of mangroves and rising temperatures driven by human-caused climate change.
- It is under threat by the potential construction of a proposed Pakistani Naval Base.
Reference
Livescience| Pakistan's Khor Kalmat Lagoon
