5/18/2019 Ayubia National Park - Wikipedia

Coordinates: 33°51′54.83″N 73°8′19.57″E

Ayubia National Park

Ayubia National Park (Urdu: ‫)اﯾﻮﺑﯿہ ﻣﻠﯽ ﺑﺎغ‬, also known as Ayubia
Ayubia National Park
(Urdu: ‫)اﯾﻮﺑﯿہ‬, is a protected area of 3,312 hectares (33 km2)[1] located
in Abbottabad District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. It
‫اﯾﻮﺑﯿہ ﻣﻠﯽ ﺑﺎغ‬
was declared a national park in 1984.[2] Ayubia was named after IUCN category V (protected
Muhammad Ayub Khan (1958–1969), second President of Pakistan. landscape/seascape)
The area supports temperate coniferous forest and temperate
broadleaf and mixed forest ecoregion habitats, with an average
elevation of 8,000 feet (2,400 m) above sea level.[3]

Ayubia National Park is surrounded by seven major villages and three

small towns of Thandiani, Nathiagali and Khanspur.[4] The park has
been developed as a resort complex from a combination of four mini
resorts of Khaira Gali, Changla Gali, Khanspur and Ghora Dhaka in
Galyat.[5] Currently, it is managed by the Wildlife and Parks
Department of Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

A view of Ayubia's pine forests

Contents
History
Climate
Wildlife
Management
Tourism
Gallery
See also
References
External links Ayubia National Park is located in west
Himalayas, north of Muree and south of
Nathiagali
History Location Abbottabad, Pakistan

Ayubia National Park was established in 1984 in an east corner of Coordinates 33°51′54.83″N
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. In 1998 it was expanded 73°8′19.57″E
form its original size of 1,684 hectares (4,161 acres)[6] or 16.84 km2 Area 33.12 km2 (12.79 sq mi)
(6.50 sq mi) to 3,312 hectares (8,184 acres). Since then it has been
Elevation 8,000 ft (2,400 m)
managed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department. The
Established 1984
purpose of establishing it was to conserve the temperate forests.
Originally, the park stood at an area of 857 acres (3.47 km2), but in Visitors 250000
1998 it was expanded to cover an area of 1,685 acres (6.82 km2). Governing body Wildlife and Parks
Department,

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The total population of Ayubia and surrounding villages as per a 1996 Government of Khyber
census is 18,097 people living in 2,311 households. Pakhtunkhwa

Climate
The climate of the park is cool in the summers, but harsh in the winters. While
it remains only placidly hot in May and June, the cold sets in when the
monsoons come to lash in late July and early August. In the winters cold
increases in severity gradually until the west winds bring rains, which
eventually turn into snow. The park remains snow-capped through the later
part of winters. Pipeline Track, Ayubia National Park

Rainfall: 1,644 mm[7]

Temperature: 3 °C - 11 °C[7]

Wildlife
The park holds 104 species of plants. The main floral species are Cedrus
deodara, blue pine, yew, silver fir, horse chestnut and oak. Around 21 plants
belonging to 19 families are known for their medicinal properties. Many of
these are used in treatment of jaundice, stomach ulcers, snake bites, internal
infections, diabetes, psoriasis and more. Some plants are said to have anti-
carcinogenic effect as well. Also, some are used as biological insecticides and
pesticides, mostly due to their insect-repellent nature. The World Wide Fund
for Nature has launched an ethno-botanical initiative here "to demonstrate the
sustainable use of plant resources as a means for protecting biodiversity."

The park harbors up to 203 species of birds. Many species of birds, including
the golden eagle, the vulture, Eurasian sparrowhawk and the hill pigeon among Pipeline Track, Ayubia National Park
others can be found here. It is also home to some of the rarer Himalayan
pheasant species like the kalij and koklass pheasants. Ayubia National Park
supports 31 species of mammals such as the Indian leopard, hill fox and flying
squirrel.

Among reptiles and amphibians, Kashmir Rock Agama, Striped Grass Skink
and Himalayan Pit Viper can also be encountered here.

Management
A panoramic view of Tilla Donga
The park has been managed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department
under the 1975 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Act. The headquarters of the
park is at Dunga Gali, which is situated at a distance of 50 km from Abbottabad and 25 km from Murree.

Tourism
Standing at some 26 kilometers from the tourist hotbed of Murree Hill Station, over 100,000 tourists flock to Ayubia
National Park and the places around every year. It is well known for its picnic spots.

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This National Park also features the "Pipeline Walking Track" that runs from Ayubia to Nathiagali and is 4 kilometers in
length.

Since there are 7 villages and 4 major towns around it, and since this area attracts a very large number of tourists annually,
there is a large number of hotels and restaurants around the park. In addition to riding trails, hiking places, picnic spots
and motels, there is a chairlift in Ayubia that takes the tourists to a nearby summit called Mukeshpuri for a view of the
forested hills. This chairlift was the first recreation facility of its kind in Pakistan and is still a major attraction for
domestic tourists. The famous PTDC motel is located here.

Gallery

Glaciers, Mountains, Track between Donga A view of mountains Cloud can be seen from
Valleys & Hills. Gali and Ayubia known from track between track between Donga
as Ayubia National Park Donga Gali and Ayubia Gali and Ayubia known
track. known as Ayubia as Ayubia National Park
National Park track. track.

Ayubia National Park Kashmir Rock Agama

track. can be found here.

See also
List of national parks of Pakistan

References
1. Khan, Ibrahim (July 14, 2010). "Improving Sub-Watershed Management and Environmental Awareness in the Ayubia
National Park" (http://wwf.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/pakistan/index.cfm?uProjectID=PK0115).
wwf.panda.org. WWF - Pakistan. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20100901184441/http://wwf.panda.org/who_
we_are/wwf_offices/pakistan/index.cfm?uProjectID=PK0115) from the original on 1 September 2010. Retrieved
September 15, 2010.
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2. "Country Report on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture -

Pakistan" (https://web.archive.org/web/20120118054012/http://www.parc.g
ov.pk/CountryReport.pdf) (PDF). parc.gov.pk. Pakistan Agricultural
Research Council. Archived from the original (http://www.parc.gov.pk/Cou
ntryReport.pdf) (PDF) on January 18, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2010.
3. "Ayubia National Park" (http://www.tourism.gov.pk/ayubia_national_park.ht
ml). tourism.gov.pk. Tourism, Government of Pakistan. Retrieved
September 15, 2010.
4. "Ayubia National Park" (http://www.wildlifeofpakistan.com/ProtectedAreas
ofPakistan/Ayubia_NP.htm). wildlifeofpakistan.com. 2002. Archived (http
s://web.archive.org/web/20100831173607/http://www.wildlifeofpakistan.com/ProtectedAreasofPakistan/Ayubia_NP.ht
m) from the original on 31 August 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
5. "Ayubia National Park" (https://web.archive.org/web/20090804133245/http://www.nathiagali.com/AyubiaPark.htm).
nathiagali.com. Nathiagali. Archived from the original (http://www.nathiagali.com/AyubiaPark.htm) on August 4, 2009.
Retrieved September 15, 2010.
6. "Review of 'Protected Areas System' in Pakistan: Present status and problems concerning future development (Page
9)" (http://dergiler.ankara.edu.tr/dergiler/47/1155/13587.pdf) (PDF). dergiler.ankara.edu.tr. 2010. Retrieved
September 8, 2010.
7. "Ayubia National Park" (https://web.archive.org/web/20101223161450/http://www.world-wildlife-adventures.com/direct
ory/pakistan/wildlife-park.asp?sanctuary=Ayubia+National+Park&state=Punjab). world-wildlife-adventures.com. World
Wildlife Adventures. Archived from the original (http://www.world-wildlife-adventures.com/directory/pakistan/wildlife-pa
rk.asp?sanctuary=Ayubia+National+Park&state=Punjab) on December 23, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2010.

External links
WDPA Profile (http://www.wdpa.org/siteSheet.aspx?sitecode=21415)
Description at wildlifeofpakistan.com (http://www.wildlifeofpakistan.com/ProtectedAreasofPakistan/Ayubia_NP.htm)
History, information and photos of Murree (Ayubia included) (https://web.archive.org/web/20070808114631/http://murr
eehills.sitesled.com/)
Ayubia National Park pictures and videos (http://www.pindiplus.com)
WWF Pakistan - Ayubia page (https://web.archive.org/web/20060507231502/http://wwfpak.org/pa_ayubia.php)
Pakistan factbook (https://web.archive.org/web/20090408035014/http://www.pakfactbook.com/post/Ayubia-National-P
ark.aspx)

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