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42-530: Established in 1980, it is the third-largest national park in Pakistan with an area of 17,386 hectares (42,960 acres). Tilla Charouni , with a height of 1604 m, is tallest peak in the park. The Park is a major tourist destination, with Daman-e-Koh and Pir Sohawa serving as popular hill stations, while the Monal Restaurant, Shakarparian Cultural Complex , and Lake View Park are popular picnic spots. The park

84-420: A good tourist spot. The trail starts behind Islamabad Zoo and ends halfway up to Monal Restaurant. Trail 3: As mentioned above, Trail 3 is one of the most popular trails as well as being the oldest. The trail is divided into two parts: 3A and 3B. 3A is the more challenging one with being very steep and rocky and has a rock climbing point, however it is also very short (takes about 40 minutes to cover it). On

126-423: A wide range of habitats throughout its geographical range. It can be found in dense or open forests, plains , agricultural lands ( rice paddy fields , wheat crops), rocky terrain, wetlands, and it can even be found in heavily populated urban areas, such as villages and city outskirts, ranging from sea level to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) in altitude. This species is absent from true desert regions. The Indian cobra

168-465: Is Saidpur Village . Sitting on the foothills of the Margalla Hills, this village shows how different village and city life can be to both foreigners and locals. This place is a hotpot of religious and cultural beauty that is within Pakistan. It is a place that signifies the religious harmony within the country as there is a mosque , a Hindu Temple and a Church standing side by side. The temple in

210-571: Is a member of the "big four" species that are responsible for the most snakebite cases in India. It is distinct from the king cobra , which belongs to the monotypic genus Ophiophagus . The Indian cobra is revered in Hindu mythology and culture , and is often seen with snake charmers . It is a protected species under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (1972). The generic name and

252-906: Is absent in most of Balochistan province , parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province , desert areas elsewhere and the Northern Areas . The most westerly record comes from Duki, Balochistan in Pakistan, while the most easterly record is from the Tangail District in Bangladesh. As this species has been observed in Drosh, in the Chitral Valley , it may also occur in the Kabul River Valley in extreme eastern Afghanistan . There's been at least one report of this species occurring in Bhutan . The Indian cobra inhabits

294-615: Is mixed with sandstone and occasional minor beds of shale . The archaeologists of the project have also found two human footprints over one million years old here, preserved in sands. The Shah Allah Ditta Caves are also part of its ancient history. This cave is about 2500 years old and is believed that Alexander The Great as well as several other emperors used this route to either pass by or pass into this area. The cave also have Buddhist-era murals which date at least 2400 years old. The cave has seven alcoves which of different sizes for lamps which are still conserved today. Furthermore, one of

336-482: Is often mistaken for the Indian cobra; however, this snake is much longer and can easily be distinguished by the more prominent ridged appearance of its body. Other snakes that resemble Naja naja are the banded racer Argyrogena fasciolata and the Indian smooth snake Wallophis brachyura . Also, the monocled cobra ( Naja kaouthia ) may be confused with Naja naja ; however, the monocled cobra has an O-shaped pattern on

378-412: Is referred to by a number of local names deriving from the root of Naga. For Indo-Aryan and Dravidian languages: The Indian cobra is a moderately sized, heavy-bodied species. This cobra species can easily be identified by its relatively large and quite impressive hood, which it expands when threatened. Many specimens exhibit a hood mark. This hood mark is located at the rear ( dorsal surface) of

420-480: Is relatively uncommon. The Indian cobra varies tremendously in colour and pattern throughout its range. The ventral scales or the underside colouration of this species can be grey, yellow, tan, brown, reddish or black. Dorsal scales of the Indian cobra may have a hood mark or colour patterns. The most common visible pattern is a posteriorly convex light band at the level of the 20th to 25th ventrals. Salt-and-pepper speckles, especially in adult specimens, are seen on

462-596: Is rich in biodiversity , especially rich in Sino-Himalayan fauna, most notably gray goral , barking deer and the leopard . Combined, MHNP is home to around 600 plant species, 402 bird varieties, 38 mammals, and 27 species of reptiles. PTDC is currently constructing a chairlift project in the park. Instituted in 1980, the Margalla Hills National Park comprises the Margalla Hills (12605 hectares),

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504-645: Is running a project on a sustainable management strategy for the Margalla Hills National Park. Margalla Hills Society, established in 1989, is a registered non-governmental organization with its head office in Islamabad. It is managed by an elected executive council. Its main objective is to preserve the natural environment of Margalla Hills National Park and prevent shrinkage of the green areas; to promote public interest in conservation, development and management of forests, wildlife and other natural resources of Margalla Hills National Park and to disseminate information about

546-433: Is the latest trail to be added as a hiking trail. Starting from behind the iconic Faisal Mosque's parking lot, it has a steep climb which is less crowded than Trail 3 and 5, making it a good trail for hiking enthusiasts. It takes about two hours to climb it, ending at a waterfall spot through which you can see the views of the city before. Margalla Hills contains several tourist spots that can wow its visitors. One of which

588-550: The Himalayan foothills. The Margalla range has an area of 12,605 hectares. It is a range with many valleys as well as high mountains. According to the research carried out by scientists and archaeologists of the project "Post-Earthquake Explorations of Human Remains in Margalla Hills", the formation of the Margalla Hills dates to the Miocene epoch. The dominant limestone of the Margalla

630-678: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , was being reared in Margalla Hills as a part of conservation campaign by the World Pheasant Association and Capital Development Authority . There are several hiking trails in the Margalla Hills. Trail 3 and 5 are the most popular ones, starting from the Margalla Road opposite sector F-6 and ending at the Pir Sohawa Road. In total, there are six trails now which are accessible to anyone. Below are

672-486: The Rawal Lake , and Shakarparian Sports and Cultural complex. Located in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. The hill range nestles between an elevation of 685 meters at the western end and 1,604 meters on its east. Millions of years ago, these mountain peaks didn’t exist. The Asian continent was mostly intact, but the Indian subcontinent was an island floating off the coast of Australia. Around 220 million years ago, around

714-475: The Russell's viper , Indian cobra , Himalayan pit viper , and saw-scaled viper are found here. Margalla Hills in Islamabad have been declared as a National Park since 1980 to conserve the existing flora and fauna. The selection of trees and shrubs species for plantation in Margalla Hills is limited to natural trees and plants species which include: Major flowering trees include: Himalayan Wildlife Foundation

756-399: The anal shield is single. There are seven upper labials (3rd the largest and in contact with the nasal anteriorly, 3rd and 4th in contact with the eye) and 9-10 lower labials (small angular cuneate scale present between 4th and 5th lower labial), as well as one preocular in contact with internasals, and three postoculars . Temporals are 2 + 3. The Oriental rat snake Ptyas mucosa

798-506: The specific epithet naja is a Latinisation of the Sanskrit word nāga ( नाग ) meaning "cobra". The Indian cobra is classified under the genus Naja of the family Elapidae . The genus was first described by Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in 1768. The species Naja naja was first described by the Swedish physician, zoologist, and botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1758. The genus Naja

840-1399: The 1990s, often as subspecies thereof. Many of the subspecies were later found to be artificial or composites. This causes much potential confusion when interpreting older literature. Naja ( Naja ) naja Naja ( Naja ) kaouthia Naja ( Naja ) atra Naja ( Naja ) sagittifera Naja ( Naja ) oxiana Naja ( Naja ) sputatrix Naja ( Naja ) samarensis Naja ( Naja ) philippinensis Naja ( Naja ) mandalayensis Naja ( Naja ) sumatrana Naja ( Naja ) siamensis Naja ( Afronaja ) pallida Naja ( Afronaja ) nubiae Naja ( Afronaja ) katiensis Naja ( Afronaja ) nigricollis Naja ( Afronaja ) ashei Naja ( Afronaja ) mossambica Naja ( Afronaja ) nigricincta Naja (Boulengerina) multifasciata Naja (Boulengerina) christyi Naja (Boulengerina) annulata Naja (Boulengerina) savannula Naja (Boulengerina) subfulva Naja (Boulengerina) guineensis Naja (Boulengerina) peroescobari Naja (Boulengerina) melanoleuca Naja ( Uraeus ) nivea Naja ( Uraeus ) senegalensis Naja ( Uraeus ) haje Naja ( Uraeus ) arabica Naja ( Uraeus ) annulifera Naja ( Uraeus ) anchietae The Indian cobra or spectacled cobra, being common in South Asia,

882-585: The Indian cobra's hood. When the hood mark is present, it consists of two circular ocelli patterns connected by a curved line, evoking the image of spectacles . This species has a head that is elliptical, depressed, and very slightly distinct from the neck. The snout is short and rounded with large nostrils. The eyes are medium in size and the pupils are round. The majority of adult specimens range from 1 to 1.5 metres (3.3 to 4.9 ft) in length. Some specimens, particularly those from Sri Lanka, may grow to lengths of 2.1 to 2.2 metres (6.9 to 7.2 ft), but this

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924-509: The Margalla Hills National park including its history, geography, flora, fauna culture and its benefits to the citizens of Islamabad. The National Park is the most accessible in Pakistan due to its close proximity to the national capital , Islamabad . It is a significant hub for bird lovers throughout the year. There are several hiking trails (Trail 1, Trail 2, Trail 3, Trail 4, Trail 5, Trail 6, Trail 7 (Shah Allah Dittah)), with

966-820: The Murree area but usually remain high up in the hills. Villagers dwelling in the Margallas do report sighting of leopards off and on. The Margallas are an excellent place for bird watchers . The area is home to a large number of birds, including robins , sparrows , kites , crows , larks , paradise flycatchers , black partridge , shrikes , pheasants , spotted doves , Egyptian vultures , falcons , hawks , eagles , Himalayan griffon vulture , laggar falcon , peregrine falcon , kestrel , Indian sparrow hawk , white cheeked bulbul , yellow vented bulbul , cheer pheasant , khalij pheasant , golden oriole , collared dove , wheatears and buntings . The cheer pheasant, indigenous to

1008-458: The back of the hood, while the Indian cobra has a spectacles-shaped pattern on its hood. Confusions may exist with Caspian cobra ( Naja oxiana ), as some Indian cobra specimens without a hood mark are sometimes confused with N. oxiana , where these two species coexist in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Although some Caspian cobra specimens can be quite dark, they are never fully black like the Indian cobra. N. oxiana normally has several dark bands under

1050-603: The crags remain uncrowded. The most attractive spot was Margalla Hills National Park is the famous Monal Restaurant and DesPardes restaurant ,which used to offers scenic view of Islamabad. It was demolished in 2024 by order of Supreme Court of Pakistan. Tilla Charouni The Margalla Hills ( Urdu : مارگلہ پہاڑیاں ) are a hill range within the Margalla Hills National Park on the northern edge of Islamabad Capital Territory , Pakistan , just south of Haripur District , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa . They are part of

1092-533: The descriptions of each trail: Trail 1: This trail is one of the more difficult ones that causes physical exhaustion and it can take up to two hours to finish it. Its highest point is the top of Pir Sohawa , and if you go 20 km ahead on the main road, you will find amazing city views along with the famous Monal Restaurant . Trail 2: This trail is not too difficult to climb and is recommended for families and hiking novices. It has many attractions such as street foods, play grounds and tea stalls, hence becoming

1134-526: The dorsal scales. Specimens, particularly those found in Sri Lanka, may exhibit poorly defined banding on the dorsum. Ontogenetic colour change is frequently observed in specimens in the northwestern parts of their geographic range (southern Pakistan and northwestern India). In southern Pakistan, juvenile specimens may be grey in colour and may or may not have a hood mark. Adults on the other hand are typically uniformly black in colour on top ( melanistic ), while

1176-471: The exception of specimens from the northwest, there is often a pair of lateral spots on the throat where the ventral and dorsal scales meet. The positioning of these spots varies, with northwestern specimens having the spots positioned more anterior, while specimens from elsewhere in their range are more posterior. Dorsal scales are smooth and strongly oblique. Midbody scales are in 23 rows (21–25), with 171–197 ventrals . There are 48–75 divided subcaudals and

1218-482: The hills near Taxila are busy eroding the hills for extracting building material. Deforestation is resulting from fires and illegal felling of trees. The Margalla Hills Society was established in 1989. The WWF-Pakistan 's 'Green School Programme', in collaboration with the Capital Development Authority (CDA), carries out 'Eco-Adventure Activities' on the Margalla hills to raise awareness in

1260-422: The hills, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the landscape. Trail 5: This is the other "most popular" trail because it is considered an all rounder, as families, runners, walkers and even pets can come here owing to its flat terrain. It goes through beautiful forested area adorned with big rocks and waterfalls. It also has a path leading to Saidpur Village . Trail 6: Trail 6

1302-462: The most frequented being Trail 3 and Trail 5. There are many spots for rock climbing in Margalla Hills. Few crags have been developed but there is still a lot of potential available to explore virgin lines. For beginner level climbers, the following crags are suggested: Although sport climbing is becoming increasingly popular among the youth of Rawalpindi and Islamabad , only few local climbers can climb at an advanced level. Therefore, most of

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1344-781: The north, spring and summer visitor for breeding, and short day transit species arrive in spring. Margalla Hills have a number of torrents which gush down in the monsoon . Natural springs are also present. Margalla has a variety of mammals, which include: It is also home to a large number of birds such as Himalayan vulture , laggar falcon , peregrine falcon , common kestrel , Eurasian sparrowhawk , Egyptian vulture , white-eared bulbul , yellow-vented bulbul , paradise flycatcher , black partridge , cheer pheasant , kalij pheasant , golden oriole , spotted dove , Eurasian collared dove , Eurasian skylark , steppe grey shrike , desert wheatear , white-capped bunting , crested bunting , common reed bunting , and rock bunting . Reptiles such as

1386-476: The other hand, 3B is more easy to walk on as it has wooden and forest covered trek to walk on, but it takes an hour longer to finish than trail 3A. Both sub-trails finish at the same viewpoint. Trail 4: Trail 4, situated near the former Islamabad Zoo , runs behind the Jamia Faridia seminary and is frequently utilized by its students. It offers an ideal route for individuals seeking an extended walk deep within

1428-499: The paintings found with the cave was of the Hindu god Shiva . There are around 250 to 300 species of plants on the Margalla Hills. As many as two-thirds of them are used by the people for their medicinal effects to treat or cure various diseases. The Margalla Hills are home to various species of wildlife, including monkeys , exotic birds and carnivores such as the rare and presently endangered Margalla leopard . Much less common are leopards , which occasionally come down from

1470-462: The school children regarding the conservation of natural environment and about the importance of being environmentally responsible. Indian cobra The Indian cobra ( Naja naja ), also known commonly as the spectacled cobra , Asian cobra , or binocellate cobra , is a species of cobra , a venomous snake in the family Elapidae . The species is native to the Indian subcontinent , and

1512-431: The seabed, which is why Asia’s softer soil was pushed up rather than the other way around. The rock formations are 40 million years old, and fossils of marine life abound, it is a clear indication that before the content collision around 40 to 50 million years ago, these hills were the seabed of the ancient ocean. Fossils of seashells, plants, petrified wood and early sea life Yorgia waggoneri are abound. These hills are

1554-575: The starting point of the Himalayas . The Himalayas, which stretch some 2,900 kilometers between Pakistan, India , China , and Nepal , is the world’s tallest mountain range. The vegetation of the southern slopes is short stuttered, comprising deciduous and evergreen trees with diverse shrub growth. In the north, stand pines and groves of oak. The fauna is mainly Indo Himalayan, with some overlapping of Palearctic species. The birds found here are residents as well as winter migrants from higher altitudes of

1596-466: The throat, whereas in the black phase of N. naja from Pakistan, almost the entire throat is black. The Indian cobra is native to the Indian subcontinent and can be found throughout India , Pakistan , Sri Lanka , Bangladesh , and southern Nepal . In India, it may or may not occur in the state of Assam , some parts of Kashmir , and it does not occur at high altitudes of over 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) and in extreme desert regions. In Pakistan, it

1638-515: The time that Pangaea was breaking apart, the subcontinent started to move northwards. It travelled some 6,000 kilometers before it finally collided with Asia around 40 to 50 million years ago. Then, part of the Indian landmass began to go beneath the Asian one, moving the Asian landmass up, which resulted in the rise of the Himalayas. It is thought that India’s coastline was denser and more firmly attached to

1680-463: The underside, outside the throat region, is usually light. Patterns on the throat and ventral scales are also variable in this species. The majority of specimens exhibit a light throat area followed by dark banding, which can be 4–7 ventral scales wide. Adult specimens also often exhibit a significant amount of mottling on the throat and on the venter, which makes patterns on this species less clear relative to patterns seen in other species of cobra. With

1722-570: The village is said to be a small 16th century temple Rama Mandir, which is dedicated to Rama , who has said to be living in this land with his family during their 14 years of exile. Furthermore, the village also has a Gurdwara , constructed in the 20th century by Sikhs . It contains big rooms that were used at rooms for a school in which the philosophy of Guru Nanak was taught. The ecology of Margallas faces threats from quarrying by stone-crushing plants, deforestation, illegal encroachments, and buildings, and poachers. Crush plants situated around

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1764-492: Was split into several subgenera based on various factors, including morphology, diet, and habitat. Naja naja is part of the subgenus Naja , along with all the other species of Asiatic cobras, including Naja kaouthia , Naja siamensis , Naja sputatrix , and the rest. Naja naja is considered to be the prototypical cobra species within the subgenus Naja , and within the entire genus Naja . All Asiatic species of Naja were considered conspecific with Naja naja until

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