Ecosystem Imbalance in Pakistani Cities: When Crows Dominate, Nature Pays the Price

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Dr. Farrukh A. Chishtie

Cities in Pakistan are expanding rapidly, but this urban growth is coming at a serious ecological cost. As concrete replaces soil, garbage outpaces greenery, and trees disappear from neighbourhoods, a quiet imbalance is setting in across the ecosystems of our urban landscapes.

While a few animal species, especially crows in urban centers across Pakistan, seem to thrive in this changing environment, many others are disappearing. This article explores how the ecological balance in our cities is being lost, why it matters, and how we can begin to restore it.

Urban ecosystems are supposed to support a wide variety of life: birds, insects, small mammals, plants, and trees. But the current pattern of development in Pakistani cities is undermining this balance. Native trees are being cut down to make room for new housing societies, shopping malls, and motorways. Studies show that Pakistan’s broad-leaved subtropical urban forests are in decline, and with them, the habitats needed by many species are vanishing. Meanwhile, poor waste management has turned streets and parks into feeding grounds for scavengers. Open garbage dumps, overflowing bins, and food scraps attract adaptable species like crows, pigeons, and rats. As these generalist species thrive, more sensitive species that rely on specific diets, nesting sites, or clean environments are pushed out.

The most visible example of this shift is the rise of the house crow, namely the Corvus splendens. Ubiquitous across Pakistani cities, the crow has become a symbol of urban imbalance. It eats almost anything: from discarded meat and leftovers to small animals and fruit. It nests in urban structures or the few remaining trees, and it is bold enough to live close to human activity. Open waste and unprotected food sources provide an endless buffet for crows, especially in areas where organic food waste is dumped without proper containment. A study from Gujranwala showed that in places where food waste was abundant, the population of omnivorous birds like crows increased sharply, while species diversity fell. As crows multiply, smaller birds, such as bulbuls, sunbirds, and sparrows face increased competition for food and nesting spaces. Many of these birds also suffer from the loss of native trees that once supported their diets and lifecycles.

This ecological dominance has larger consequences. Biodiversity is not just a beauty to observe: it also provides essential ecological services. Birds and insects play key roles in pollination, seed dispersal, and natural pest control. When this diversity is lost, urban environments become more fragile and less resilient. At the same time, the overpopulation of scavenger species like crows and rats poses sanitation risks and can lead to human–wildlife conflict. Garbage spread by birds, disease-carrying pests, and noisy crow roosts are all signs of deeper ecological breakdown.

Another danger is homogenization. Cities across Pakistan are becoming ecologically similar: fewer trees, more garbage, and the same handful of animal species dominating the scene. This loss of local biodiversity reduces nature’s richness and weakens our connection to the environment. Children growing up in today’s cities may never hear a koel sing or spot a hoopoe in the park; once common, now vanishing from our lives.

There are ways to reverse this trend. The first is to reintroduce native trees and restore urban greenery. Rather than planting only ornamental or exotic trees, cities must focus on native broad-leaved trees that support bird and insect life. A single neem or amaltas tree can offer shelter and food for dozens of species. Urban planning must include green corridors, shaded walkways, and community gardens designed to support biodiversity, not just decoration. At the same time, proper waste management is essential. Organic waste must be separated, securely contained, and collected regularly to prevent it from becoming a food source for scavengers. Public campaigns should encourage residents not to leave open leftovers, and cities should rethink practices like indiscriminate feeding of meat to crows, often done as religious charity, which has the unintended consequence of unbalancing ecosystems.

Education also plays a vital role. People must understand the importance of biodiversity in their immediate environments, not just in distant national parks. Children should learn how trees support birds, how birds control insects, and how the chain of life depends on every link staying intact. City governments can lead awareness drives, school gardens can be restored, and biodiversity can become a community goal, not just a government concern.

A final step is to make biodiversity part of planning and law. All new urban development projects should be required to include ecological impact assessments and long-term green space maintenance plans. City councils should track tree cover, bird diversity, and waste levels as indicators of urban health, just as they do traffic and water supply. More urban ecology research is needed, including monitoring programs that measure biodiversity over time and help shape smarter, greener decisions.

Pakistan’s cities can still restore balance. The signs of ecological stress are clear, but they are also reversible. Planting native trees, reducing food waste, creating inclusive green spaces, and educating citizens can help reintroduce biodiversity to the very heart of urban life. With effort and intention, we can reclaim our cities not only for people, but for every creature that belongs here.