Area of Ayub National Park being extended
The management of Ayub National Park has already planted 48,000 trees and it plans to plant 0.2 million more trees till March next year
Pak Chronicle Report
Rawalpindi
Ayub National Park, a top recreational facility in Rawalpindi: A top recreational spot for the general public in Rawalpindi, Ayub National Park is being extended to further 22 Kanal of land after receiving 48 more animals from the Islamabad Zoo.
The affairs of the Ayub National Park are being managed by the Army Heritage Foundation.
The Islamabad Zoo has already been closed and its inhabitants are being shifted to other facilities including Ayub National Park.
Meanwhile the Director General, Ayub National Park, Brigadier (Retired) Asif Akhtar wants to make this facility into a role model in Pakistan for public entertainment and inspiration. He aims to develop the park into a facility where entertainment and education go along with each other and a source for inspiration for others to follow its footprint in running a zoological and botanical gardens.
The Ayub National Park spans over 435 acres of land which provides quality environment for the visitors who come here for walk and entertainment purposes.
The park is housing a number of animals and birds in its premises which attract grown-up persons and the children alike. Some of inhabitants are rare species which have been provided healthy and habitable environment over here.
Moreover, 48,000 trees have already been planted in the park and the management has planned to further plant 0.2 million trees in the park till March next year. These measures are being taken to make the inhabitants comfortable and to provide healthy environment to the visitors.
Management expecting more visitors: The management is expecting more visitors after shifting of animals from Islamabad Zoo to over here.
‘Picture of Colonel (Retired) Zia-ul-Haq who is the director to Zoo of Ayub National Park’
The Zoo of Park to have modern and latest cages: The Park’s management which is working under the Army Heritage Foundation is working on the lines to develop the park up to the international standards.
Director Business Development and Sports, Ayub National Park Colonel (Retired) Zia-ul-Haq informed this scribe that the management of the park is enhancing the area of the park to further 22 kanal of land.
It would further have modern and latest cages for the animals and extension of the park would be completed till March next year, stated Colonel (Retired) Haq.
Ayub National Park’s management not compromising on quality of feed for captive animals: “We don’t compromise on the feed quality for the animals which are in our captivity and we also make sure that they get the best feed which we can provide.
Ayub National Park owns its own Veterinary Hospital: We got the facility of the Veterinary Hospital in the park where veterinary doctors are 24 hours available for their services to the animals. The veterinary hospital got its own operation theater to treat the animals if they develop some health related complications.
Abdul Rehman, the deputy director, Business Development and Sports, Ayub National Park, Rawalpindi
Dedicated staff deputed to look after feed related matters: A dedicated staff comprising of seven to eight persons is deputed on the matters related with the feed of the animals over here.
SOPs being followed in literal spirit: We make sure that the visitors are protected properly. Here a girl feel protected from any kind of harassment due to extra security measures,” stated Haq.
He also vowed to make sure that Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are duly followed in the park by the staff and the visitors as a precautionary measure against the pandemic Covid-19.
Park’s management offers free internships for students: Colonel (Retired) Zia-ul-Haq informed this scribe that the management of the park provides free of cost internship facility to the students of veterinary which help them to get first-hand experience of the animals in a prolific atmosphere.
The park is enriched with different varieties of animals and birds. It has seven tigers, a lion pair, a puma pair, a white tiger pair, Bengal tigers etc. It also got a variety of deer including spotted deer, Chinkara, blackbuck deer and others.
Siberian Bear- an attraction for children: This park is also blessed with a Siberian bear besides having 11 blue bulls. Moreover it also has different breeds of monkeys. The Siberian bear is a major source of attraction for children in the zoo.
Animals multiplying population by breeding: These animals also breed in captivity due to the natural environment available to them and this factor besides beautifying the park also help to produce animals to the other dedicated facilities for rare and precious animals in the country.
The park got 49 species of different birds out of which most of them are very expensive in terms of monetary and other values.
Different kinds of parrots: It has Macaw parrots, African Grey Parrots, Electus and others. Macaw’s population is getting increased at the park as they breed over here on regular intervals. How expensive the macaw is could be gauged through the fact that it’s four to five days old chick got the value tag of Rs150,000. A grown up macaw got market value up to the tune of Rs0.5 million.
Ayub National Park receives 49 animals from Islamabad Zoo: The park has accepted shifting of a total of 49 animals from the Islamabad Zoo over here including three wolves.
“The wife of German ambassador in Islamabad paid a special visit to the zoo of the park due to these wolves and she appreciated the management for the environment in which these wolves are being entertained,” stated Colonel (Retired) Haq.
Meanwhile Deputy Director, Business Development and Sports, Abdul Rehman told this correspondent that 48,000 trees have already been planted in the park and 0.2 million trees would more be planted in coming months.
He is of the view that besides planting pine and other trees, fruit bearing trees have also been planted at the park.
“The purpose of planting fruit bearing trees is not to sell their fruits when their bear them. The management of the park would provide an opportunity to the visitors to have these
fruits,” he commented.
Bushes have been removed from the park. With the plantation of trees, the park looks greener and here the nature looks at its best, he further said.
According to him as the park managements is doing its best to preserve the nature and now such a breed of birds are being seen over here which previously no one had witnessed.
He expects more visitors in the park after the closure of Islamabad Zoo for which parking facility is being enhanced at the park.
WWF acknowledges park’s management contribution: He said World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has acknowledged the measures which have been taken at the park for the betterment of the animals.
The deputy director said that the park runs its affairs on self-reliance basis and generate its funds from its own resources.
Ends
