View of the Margalla Hills from ShakarparianTilla Charouni, highest peak with 1,604 metres (5,262 ft)Daman-e-Koh lookout park in the Margalla Hills, Islamabad
According to the research carried out by scientists and archaeologists of the project "Post-Earthquake Explorations of Human Remains in Margalla Hills", the formation of the Margalla Hills dates to the Miocene epoch. The dominant limestone of the Margalla is mixed with sandstone and occasional minor beds of shale. The archaeologists of the project have also found two human footprints over one million years old here, preserved in sandstone.[2]
There are around 250 to 300 species of plants on the Margalla Hills. As many as two-thirds of them are used by the people for their medicinal effects to treat or cure various diseases.[3]
The Margalla Hills are home to various species of wildlife, including monkeys, exotic birds and carnivores such as the rare and presently endangered Margalla leopard.[4]
Much less common are leopards, which occasionally come down from the Murree area but usually remain high up in the hills. Villagers dwelling in the Margallas do report sighting of leopards off and on.[5]
The Margallas are an excellent place for bird watchers. The area is home to a large number of birds, including robins, sparrows, kites, crows, larks, paradise flycatchers, black partridge, shrikes, pheasants, spotted doves, Egyptian vultures, falcons, hawks, eagles, Himalayan griffon vulture, laggar falcon, peregrine falcon, kestrel, Indian sparrow hawk, white cheeked bulbul, yellow vented bulbul, paradise flycatcher, cheer pheasant, Khalij pheasant, golden oriole, spotted dove, collared dove, wheatears and buntings.[4]
There are several hiking trails in the Margalla Hills.[7] Trail 3 and 5 are the most popular ones, starting from the Margalla Road opposite sector F-6 and ending at the Pir Sohawa Road.
Environmental conservation
Nekka Phullai Hill of Margalla Range beside Faisal Mosque
The ecology of Margallas faces threats from quarrying by stone-crushing plants,[8] deforestation,[9] illegal encroachments,[10] and buildings, and poachers.[11] Crush plants situated around the hills near Taxila are busy eroding the hills for extracting building material.[12]Deforestation is resulting from fires and illegal felling of trees.[13]
Margalla Hills Society
The Margalla Hills Society[14][15] was established in 1989.[16][17]
The WWF-Pakistan's 'Green School Programme', in collaboration with the Capital Development Authority (CDA), carries out 'Eco-Adventure Activities' on the Margalla hills to raise awareness in the school children regarding the conservation of natural environment and about the importance of being environmentally responsible.[18]
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Pakistan
