Pakistan -- one of the most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change -- experienced its second-warmest year since 1960 in 2025, according to government data.Temperatures in Islamabad this summer have pushed past 40C."In the past, because of kite flying, the string used to damage their wings," said Sakhawat Ali, director of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board which oversees the Margallah Wildlife Rescue Centre in Islamabad."But for the last one or two years, most of the cases we have been receiving involve birds that are dehydrated and suffering from heat stress."
A wildlife rescue centre sits on the former site of the notorious Islamabad Zoo © Farooq NAEEM / AFP
The wildlife rescue centre, located at the foot of the Margalla Hills, was once the site of the notorious Islamabad Zoo where neglected elephants and underfed lions were kept in cages.The zoo was shuttered in 2020.On the overgrown grounds where large dinosaur sculptures still stand, wild animals have been brought in for rehabilitation from across Pakistan, including bears and monkeys abused by their private owners.Scientists warn that extreme weather events such as heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense as a result of human-induced climate change.Ahmed said the centre can receive up to 30 calls a day in summer from locals about distressed wildlife, including birds, adding that their top priorities are to provide medical attention, food and water.
