Wildlife rescuers in Islamabad are working to protect birds affected by rising temperatures and heat-related illnesses amid increasingly hot summers in Pakistan. Zaheer Ahmed, a wildlife officer at the Margallah Wildlife Rescue Centre, conducts health assessments on birds suffering from dehydration and heat stress, conditions that have become more common in recent years.

Pakistan is considered highly vulnerable to climate change, and government data indicated that 2025 was the country’s second-warmest year since 1960. This summer, temperatures in Islamabad have frequently surpassed 40 degrees Celsius, exacerbating risks to local wildlife. According to Sakhawat Ali, director of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, the nature of bird injuries has shifted in recent years; whereas kite flying cables once caused many wing injuries, the majority of cases now relate to heat exhaustion and dehydration.

The Margallah Wildlife Rescue Centre, situated at the base of the Margalla Hills, operates on the former grounds of the Islamabad Zoo, which closed in 2020 amid concerns over neglected animals. The centre has since become a rehabilitation hub for various species, including bears, monkeys, and numerous birds rescued from across Pakistan.

Ahmed noted the centre receives up to 30 calls daily during summer months about distressed wildlife. The primary focus is immediate medical care alongside providing food and water. Birds are placed in quarantine until they recover sufficiently for release back into the wild.

Climatologists have warned that climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, which threaten ecosystems. Ahmed highlighted that wildfires, which sometimes coincide with key breeding periods, pose a serious hazard to bird populations by destroying nests, killing chicks, and damaging habitats.

Ali urged local communities to assist wildlife by leaving bowls of water outside to help birds stay hydrated and cool. The Islamabad Wildlife Management Board is also investigating the broader impacts of climate change on bird breeding cycles and food availability, as disruptions in these areas could severely affect population stability.

The efforts at the Margallah Wildlife Rescue Centre illustrate both the challenges posed by climate change to wildlife in Pakistan and the steps being taken to mitigate its effects on vulnerable bird species.