News & Stories
The Secretive Pangolin of the Margallahs
September 26, 2026
Among the most unusual mammals associated with the Margallahs is the Indian pangolin, a nocturnal, insect-eating animal covered in protective scales.
A 2022 report in Dawn described pangolins as present in Margalla Hills National Park and reported that Islamabad Wildlife Management Board personnel had rescued and released animals recovered from poachers. The report also highlighted the animal's ecological role as a consumer of termites and other insects.
Why the less visible species matter
The pangolin is particularly important because it is easy to overlook. It does not have the visibility of monkeys or the profile of the leopard. Its survival depends on relatively undisturbed habitat and protection from illegal capture and trade.
The lesson is broader than the pangolin itself. Wildlife conservation often depends on protecting animals that visitors rarely see. An apparently quiet patch of woodland, an old vegetation belt or a burrow can be important habitat even when no large animal is visible.
In the Margallahs, conserving these less visible species helps preserve the ecological processes that sustain the forest as a whole.