We are excited to share the news that our faculty member, Dr. Muhammad Rais, Assistant Professor in Wildlife Management, Department of Zoology, Wildlife and Fisheries, has co-authored a research article in Nature. The journal Nature is considered as the most esteemed multidisciplinary scientific journal (Impact factor 64.8). To date, only 99 research articles featuring scientists from Pakistan have been published in this journal. The study was also featured on Nature’s cover (Vol. 622, issue 7982, 12th October, 2023, attached). The paper can be downloaded by clicking here.

The Nature paper provides an update to the 2004 landmark paper that was based on the first global amphibian assessment for the IUCN Red List, which revealed the unfolding amphibian crisis for the first time and established a baseline for monitoring trends and measuring conservation impact. According to this new study, nearly 41% of all amphibian species that have been assessed are currently globally threatened, considered critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable. This is compared to 26.5% of mammals, 21.4% of reptiles and 12.9% of birds. The study also found that three out of every five salamander species are threatened with extinction primarily as the result of habitat destruction and climate change.

The assessment evaluated the extinction risk of more than 8,000 amphibian species from all over the world, including 2,286 species evaluated for the first time. More than 1,000 experts across the globe contributed their data and expertise, which found that two out of every five amphibians are threatened with extinction. These data will be published on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™.

The study was coordinated by the Amphibian Red List Authority, which is a branch of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Species Survival Commission’s Amphibian Specialist Group, hosted and managed by Re:wild. More than 100 researchers from > 130 institutions from the length and breadth of the world participated in this study.

Dr. Shamim Akhter, Associate Professor of Zoology won "Zoologist of the Year Award 2014". The Zoological Society of Pakistan presented this award to Dr. Shamim Akhter in recognition of her outstanding contributions to Zoological Sciences. The ceremony was held during the inaugural session of 34th Zakariya University, Multan. Dr. M. H. qazi, Vice Chancellor, University of Lahore was the chief guest who honoured the award winners. Students and faculty members from different universities of Pakistan participated the conference. Pakistan Congress of Zoology held at Bahauddin