New Nature Reserve at Rawal Lake Phase One Complete!


Hello readers; I (RMK) am the happiest man around today, a dream come true at last. The Himalayan wildlife Foundation (HWF) has succeeded in placing buoys or markers around the Eastern Shoreline of Rawal Lake. This is the first phase of creating a Nature Reserve and it means that hunting and fishing will be prohibited and boats will not be allowed into the area designated for the protection of wildlife at Rawal Lake. This is truly a remarkable achievement and will become a major contribution towards the conservation of Pakistan’s incredible fauna and flora.

On 12 December 2014, an officer from the HWF accompanied me and we took boat trip over the whole area of the lake. It was a perfect moment of my life and I really missed my colleagues and friends: Shadmena, Richard and Islbirder with whose assistance the first phase is completed. This is, without doubt, a massive achievement by the HWF and huge congratulations to them.

We also selected a bird watching point and I believe that soon it will be operative and you will be able to bring your binoculars and cameras and watch and photograph some amazing birds right in front of you. On the day, it was fairly quiet but we saw some Mallards, both males and females, flying over the lake near the markers.


After that we drove to the area I am very interested in and where I intend there will be an office and fixed tower for wildlife guards. The eastern shoreline needs to be protected as people come in their private boats and shoot birds ruthlessly. I was excited to see a number of birds in the area, including a Great Cormorant as it ran on the water in order to take to the air; a reasonable photograph.


It was great to see a Marsh Harrier patrolling the lake and looking for small birds and mammals. Besides these birds, I saw Common Snipe, Black-headed Gulls, Little Cormorants, Indian pond herons, Little Egrets and flock of Red Avadavat. 


I believe that soon Rawal Lake will be converted in to a bird watching and wildlife photography hot spot. I am really thankful to HWF that is doing huge amounts to save the wildlife of Pakistan.

With the help of the Himalayan Wildlife Foundation hopefully it will not be too long before huge flocks of wintering wildfowl, skeins of Bar-headed Geese and flocks of both Common and Demoiselle Cranes are visiting Rawal Lake again without being blasted from the skies by indiscriminate hunters whose shotguns kill and injure the birds and poison the lake with lead shot.


Parents of children will be able to bring them to the lake to watch and marvel at the wildlife at close quarters. Not only is Rawal Lake and its surrounds important for breeding species it is of huge significance to migratory and wintering species. I long for the days that the skies are once again full of beautiful birds.


From Islbirder, as we anticipate the holiday here in the UK still shocked and horrified by the terrible events in Peshawar, I wish all of my friends in Pakistan a safe and peaceful New Year. I am so proud of RMK and the efforts of the HWF in establishing a wildlife sanctuary at Rawal Lake. Far from affecting the livelihood of local residents, the Nature Reserve is likely to offer many new opportunities and I wish it every success. I am lucky enough to have spent many hours on the Eastern Shoreline of the Lake and recorded lots of wonderful species there; so the potential is huge and I am sure it will become a massive contribution to Pakistan’s wildlife conservation effort.

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