Birds are widely hunted, and some species are becoming rare. Few Siberian cranes, for example, survive. Snakes, lizards, skinks, salamanders, and frogs are also common to the country. There are many varieties of freshwater fish in the rivers, streams, and lakes, trout being the most common. Because many Afghans are poor, they collect dung, uproot shrubs, and cut trees for fuel.
Domestic animals overgraze the ranges.
Improper irrigation adds salt to fields. Ancient records and archaeology show that once-rich areas have become barren stretches of rock and sand. Pathan Tajik Uzbek People Afghanistan's people reflect their country's location astride historic migration and invasion routes. Constituting about 50 percent of the population, the Pashtuns claim to be related to the Hebrews. The Turkish-descended Uzbeks and Turkmens farm the plains north of the Hindu Kush.