The thriving wildlife in the Margalla Hills.

Byline: Kalbe Ali

The federal capital is probably the only area in the country where wildlife enjoys its natural habitat without much disturbance and harassment despite the presence of people closeby.

Such coexistence among humans and wildlife is rare in other parts of the country.

Since 1980, the hills overlooking Islamabad and the Rawal Lake, including some areas around it, have been declared the national park, and most capital residents take due care of the natural habitat, especially in its jurisdiction.

The hill range, which nestles between an elevation of 685 metres at the western end and 1,604 metres on the east, is home to a rich biodiversity, especially Sino-Himalayan fauna, including the grey goral, barking deer and the leopard.

Margalla Hills are home to a large number of birds, including the Blue Throated Barbet.

Monkeys and wild boars are the two animals on the Margalla Hills which are seen frequently. There are several spots on the route to Pir Sohawa where monkeys are clearly visible, and they are also a major attraction for visitors, especially children. People can be seen giving popcorns, chips, biscuits and even soft drinks to them.

On the other hand, wild boars can be seen foraging for leftover food at the garbage dumps in the evening. Other animals like golden jackal, red fox and porcupines usually remain away from the tourists.

Monkeys are the most visible of the animals in the Margalla Hills.

Earlier, the grey goral, barking deer, wild boar and kaleej pheasant were poached extensively, which led to a sharp decrease in their population in the hills.

Islamabad Wildlife Management Board Chairman Dr Anisur Rahman, however, said frequent...