CDA yet to release funds for Marghzar Zoo

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has not so far released the funds approved by in 2007 for upgrading Marghzar Zoo, owing to which the number of animals is decreasing. The civic body approved Rs 1.407 billion for upgrading the Marghazar Zoo in 2007. It was decided that the project would be completed in three years. According to the PC-1 approved in this regard, the total area of the zoo was increased from 25 acres to 60 acres, a CDA official told Pakistan Today. He said that after the approval of the PC-1, the CDA allocated fund for the project during different financial years’ budgets, but it did not release fund. In the current financial year, the authority allocated Rs 100 million for the project, but the amount was not released, he added.
The officials said that, according to the new plan, species of different animals would be increased from 69 to 200. “At present, there are over 200 animals, including ducks, grey wolf, rhesus monkey, spider monkey, elephant, chinkara, grey goral, black buck, blue bill, yak, ostrich, barking dear, urial, hog dear, mouflon sheep, spotted dear, red fox, jackal, Indian blue peafowl, civet, steppe eagle and owl, and under the new plan, the number of animals will be increased up to 1,000,” he revealed. He said that under the new plan, Marhazar Zoo would comprise mountainous areas, plains, wetlands, a snake house, and desert as well as exotic species areas. The animals would be provided with a comfortable habitat, he added. The CDA would house 75 percent local and 25 percent exotic animals in the zoo.
Marghazar Zoo was constructed in 1978 over an area of 25 acres on the base of Margallah Hills National Park. At the early stage of its establishment, some indigenous and exotic species were housed and it was decided the zoo would be upgraded on modern lines with the passage of time. He said that majority of cabins, cages and huts were not constructed in the zoo according to the requirements of different animals, so the civic body needed to start its upgrade Zoo immediately.