Islamabad Wildlife Management Board Saving Animals without Gov Support – Sponsor NGO Controlling Rehabilitation Center at Old Zoo

Tazeen Akhtar

Animals are equal owners of this land and human beings are supposed to share the land with them rather eliminate them or imprison them in cages where they are deprived of their natural habitat. This was the message or appeal sent to all by Chairperson Islamabad Wild Life Management Board (IWMB) Rina Saeed Khan on 30th Jan 2024 in an interaction with media persons.

IWMB arranged a media tour to Rescue and Rehabilitation Center at old Islamabad Zoo to share the work done so far on the rehabilitation of different animals. The animals included a young Bengal tiger “Baboo” , 7 black bears, many kites, monkeys especially.

Second Chance Wildlife NGO is sponsoring IWMB partially, in the rehabilitation at the center but they seem to have full control of this facility taking advantage of the lack of funds in IWMB. This NGO was outsourced in Nov 2023 only after two month of its creation in Sep 2023.

A lady in the team of Second Chance was most of the time negative to all media approaches to her. She even did not allow media to take shorts of the tiger with two ladies Anila and Sana as both of them were appreciated in the presser for their contribution to save the tiger. The lady, a foreigner was posing extra possessive about the animals in the center.

This lady official of Second Chance was not ready to give media even a Single Chance.

The representative of Second Chance Mr. Ludo Van Vooren briefed the media in detail about the environment, food, habitat the animals need for their natural growth and health.

Ms Rina Saeed Khan shared with media, “IWMB has converted the site of Zoo into wildlife rescue center that is providing assistance to all species of wild animals in distress. Since Aug 2021 the Center has rescued and rehabilitated approximately 381 animals including mammals, birds and reptiles.

Currently the center is rehabilitating 51 animals. IWMB has housed here 7 Black bears , Rheses monkeys and Pangulins 15 of which have been released in their wilderness so far. The monkeys will also be set free in their natural environment in Margalla hills when rehabilitated completely.

IWMB is working under Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination. The work is hard in a sense that the ministry does not share any funds with this org while Capital Development Authority is continuously doing its utmost to take the Zoo back from IWMB’s control.

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Here it is notable that CDA was managing the Zoo in the past but there were many stories of corruption in the funds for food and care of the animals. Many animals died while a large number got sick because of malnutrition and carelessness of the CDA workers. Now CDA is creating hurdles in the work of IWMB only to force the board to quit and this source of corruption may again fell in the lap of CDA.

The media questioned about the closure of Zoo and emphasized its importance for general public as tourist spot. Media asked about why the children of Islamabad remain deprived of this option?

Chairperson replied, ” The Zoo was closed on the orders of the court and the charge was handed over to IWMB from CDA. As long as public interest is concerned, IWMB plans to open up a Visitor Information Center on site of old zoo for general public once funds are arranged. The Rescue Center and digital Visitor Information Center together will form the Margallah Wildlife Center.

Anila Umair and Sana Raja are renown volunteers having remarkable contributions to rehabilitation of animals in and around twin cities Rawalpindi Islamabad were also present. The Bengal tiger was saved and brought back to life by these two young ladies. Tiger was 4 months old when they came to know about its miserable condition in a private house. They approached the family and took over the rare specie to conserve it. Now the tiger is 16 months old , healthy and energetic to live his full life ahead.

Ms Rina Saeed proudly shared , “IWMB’s most famous rescue has been of a leopard from Defence Housing Authority Islamabad area who was successfully rescued and released back into the wilderness of Margalla Hills in 2022.”

IWMB seeks cooperation from law enforcing agencies to check and stop animal trafficking. Ms Rina Saeed Khan briefed the media about Leopard cats recovered during trafficking in Karachi. They were later released in Margallah Hills National Park along with several rehabilitated Porcupines, Foxes, Golden Jackals, Civet cats and bird species like Kites and Spotte Owls.

Second Chance Wildlife is currently conducting limited guided tours of the center for students and animal lovers. But regarding media persons,the attitude of the representatives was not welcoming. They were hardly allowing media to take pictures and videos of the animals they were presenting as rescued and rehabilitated.