Islamabad’s old zoo to be replaced by a virtual zoo

Islamabad: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) in collaboration with the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) is all set to establish a virtual zoo, a rehab clinic for animals and a public facilitation centre at the place of the old Margazar Zoo which stands closed for over a year.

The district administration had sealed the city’s only facility, the Margazar Zoo, which housed animals such as foxes, monkeys, turtles, flamingoes, wolves, deer, ostriches, zebras and a variety of birds after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in a landmark judgment in December 2020 compared it to a concentration camp.

Since then, a number of proposals have been under consideration regarding the fate of the place that spans over 25 acres.

CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed and IWMB Chairperson Rina Saeed Khan during a visit to the closed down zoo discussed various options and it was decided that a theme park, a rehabilitation clinic and virtual zoo would be set up to make people, particularly the young generation, aware of various animals, their habitat and presence in Pakistan.

There will also be a public facilitation centre where documentaries and movies will be screened and a virtual show would be arranged in the evening on a daily basis.

Visitors will be shown animatronic models of animals, visual gallery and informative 3D shows for engaging the public and informing them about wildlife and the need to preserve their freedom.

One third of the land will be used as a rescue and rehabilitation centre for animals as earlier two rare leopards, which were brought from Karachi, were sent to a private clinic for treatment and then released into Margalla Hills last month.

According to a statement from the CDA, Amer Ali Ahmed, Rina S Khan Khan, architect Naeem Pasha and senior officials visited the old zoo and discussed various options for reviving the place in compliance with the Islamabad High Court order.

Brief history

Margazar Zoo was established in 1978. On average, one million people visit the zoo annually. In May 2020, IHC directed all animalsm particularly the Asian elephant, Kavan, be shifted to sanctuaries.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah had also handed over the zoo to IWMB, saying that 878 species being held in captivity at the zoo.