Natural habitats loss challenging wildlife

ISLAMABAD: The overgrasing in the Margalla hills has reached the point where it is adversely affecting the vegetation cover in the area where the wildlife species are facing challenges due to loss of their natural habitats.

The statistics about core biodiversity zones of the Margalla Hills National Park showed that highest livestock population is in Talhar village with a total animal heads of 1,857; village Shahdara host 834 animal heads; Gokina Kalan and Shah Allah Ditta hosts 1,207 and 788 while Jhang Bagial has 752 animal heads. But the local people living in the Margalla hills claimed that forest cover has not changed significantly in past ten years but the rising tourist activities have definitely been affecting the natural habitats of the wildlife creatures.

Barkat Ali, a resident of Talhar area, said it is wrong to say that use of firewood is causing loss to the tree cover in the Margalla hills because the local people only use dry wood that is collected mostly from the ground. “We have very limited financial resources and depend on the livestock for milk and meat. It is highly difficult to bring gas cylinders to far flung villages so that is why we use firewood to meet our requirements,” he said.