Last Thursday, Noor Jehan, a 17-year-old elephant residing at the Karachi Zoo, suffered a tragic incident. The elephant was receiving treatment from foreign doctors for partial paralysis when she fell into a concrete pool, exacerbating her already deteriorating health condition.
Despite being hopeful for her recovery, her present state is concerning and her chances of survival are bleak, according to Marina Ivanova, the senior project manager at Four Paws. (DAWN).
Noor Jehan is currently resting on a heap of sand near the only tree in her enclosure, showing minimal movement and barely opening her eyes.
Upon learning of Noor Jehan’s dire condition, which quickly spread across social media, a multitude of individuals, including prominent personalities, expressed their sorrow and despair towards the elephant’s situation.
“Please close down Karachi Zoo. Zoos should be banned, specially in a country where we don’t have money to feed and care for humans, no one is bothered about the voiceless, helpless animals. Animals do not belong in cages. What Noor Jehan has gone through is inhumane torture.”
“#KarachiZoo should be shut down because it is clearly beyond the capacity of KMC.”
“#KarachiZoo should be shut down ,keeping animals in captivity is unethical and unacceptable, as it restricts their freedom and natural behaviors.”
“President @ArifAlvi said nothing will be spared he would pay for Noor Jehan to heal but nothing was done ! Shut down Karachi Zoo send the animals to sanctuary !”
“Close Karachi Zoo, move the animals to sanctuaries. This is beyond any kind of justification to how she was treated. @KmcPakistan and @PPP_Org must answer to why it took so long to get her help, and why she had the trauma. For Gods sake, take care of the other animals.”
“Can’t get out the image of #NoorJehan and those starving lions in #KarachiZoo out of my mind. The apathy of those responsible for this cruelty is mind boggling. May Allah torment them for their greed.”
“Fully support the call to shut down Karachi zoo. It’s evident that KMC is incapable of managing it effectively & the animals are suffering as a result. We need to prioritize the welfare of these innocent creatures.”
Plight Of Karachi Zoo
Pakistan is currently experiencing a severe economic crisis, grappling with mounting external debts, high inflation rates, and sluggish growth prospects, among other problems. This turmoil has not only affected the human population but has also impacted the well-being of animals in the country. Recent reports have emerged of food shortages for animals at a zoo located in Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan.
“They are malnourished. The management does not have adequate resources to feed them and the food that is supplied to the animals is of not excellent quality. The animals don’t have the right kind of space for the type of animals that they are”
Sharif
The animals are said to be malnourished and lack adequate space for their respective species. Zain Mustafa, president of the Society for the Protection of Animal Rights, said it’s not the first time food suppliers have encountered a problem with the zoo administration.
Such situations also arose in the past,” he told DW. “The staff and keepers of the zoo are excellent people but it is the lack of resources that is creating problems, including the issue of quality food for animals.”
Zain Mustafa
While officials have denied that the animals are starving, a senior official has admitted that the zoo is facing its worst financial crisis due to a shortfall in revenues and the non-release of funds from the government.
“The administration owes dues of over 30 million rupees and the animal food supplier has threatened to stop food supply”
Mehboob Baig
Baig added that the KMC has been facing a liability of over 10 billion Pakistani rupees due to the shortfall in revenues and the non-release of funds from the Sindh government.
The situation has been further compounded by a reported shortage of zoo staff, who have not been recruited since 1997 due to a ban on recruitment by the Sindh government. (Source:DW News)
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