ISLAMABAD: After an influx of visitors to Trail 6 located behind Faisal Mosque, Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) has decided to close it over the weekends to respect the privacy of the five leopards that dwell in the area. However, the trail will remain open on weekdays.

The female leopard, Shehzadi, has particularly made the stretch between trails 4 and 6 her permanent home.

According to an ongoing study which started in 2018, camera trap images have revealed that there are five leopards in the Margalla Hills National Park. One of the major reasons is plenty of game like wild boars, monkeys and even barking deer in the protected park.

“There could be more. We have not extended our study to the Shah Allah Ditta in the west,” said Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) Chairperson Rina Saeed Khan.

“Nonetheless, our priority is to protect the leopards’ population and other wildlife on the Margalla Hills. Trail 6 is becoming too congested over the weekends as people from other towns visiting Faisal Mosque add to the visitors’ traffic there,” said Ms Khan.

She said leopards living in the Margalla Hills National Park were a sign of a healthy ecosystem.

“They are the apex predators that keep the entire ecosystem in balance. Shehzadi is regularly feeding on wild boars inside the park, keeping their numbers in check. A single leopard’s territory can stretch between 30km to 50km. Shehzadi has made the area between trails 4 and 6 her permanent home,” the IWMB chairperson said.

While Trail 6 will remain open on weekdays, there are plenty of other trails where trekkers can hike on, she said, adding that “we are opening other trails and Trail 2 is being readied and will be relaunched in a few days.”

However, Trail 4 will remain open and hikers are requested to move in groups and return before sunset since leopards are nocturnal and hunt in the cover of darkness.

“Since the trail has recently been opened, there have been a few incidents of hikers losing their way. The trail is being properly marked for the convenience of the visitors,” she added.

“Closing down Trail 6 over the weekends is only a temporary arrangement. The trail will be opened when Shehzadi moves on. Right now her privacy and her protection are our top priority,” Rina Saeed Khan added.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2021