Daily Times

The wildlife parks and zoos of Pakistan are characterised by a quite weak governance system. The sector of wildlife in Pakistan is largely treated as a provincial instead of a political matter. Each province has its own wildlife department governed by its special minister. The wildlife parks and zoos are usually governed and ruled by the forest departments of each province of Pakistan. Pakistan’s wildlife department is governed by six distinct laws and regulations. The majority of these laws are dated back to the mid-1970s with just one major amendment made in 1990. These laws in practice have not sadly adhered to principles of continuous improvement in the wildlife habitats and zoos of Pakistan.

It is disillusioning to note that the zoos and the wildlife habitats of Pakistan focus largely on the protection and conservation of the endangered species rather on development and improvement of the wildlife parks and zoos. The animals lying in the zoos and wildlife parks of Pakistan are seen to be ignored with regard to their physical and mental well-being. They are not properly provided with adequate nutritional food and are seldom treated effectively against their diseases.

There are about 10 public zoos, 25 private zoos and 28 wildlife parks in Pakistan. Neither of these unfortunately are authorised by any recognized association of zoo and aquarium. The animals kept in these zoos are often neglected. Not only their food and nutrition is ignored but several other environmental issues thwart their well-being. For instance, there is a day and a night zoo in Karachi named as Danzoo. It makes an ample use of lights at night. An exposure of animals to light at nights especially is deemed to be counter-productive to their emotional and reproductive health. Several zoos lack veterinary professionals, owing to which the animals do not get ample medical help whenever required. Some animals die due to lack of adequate required treatment adding to the plight of the zoos of Pakistan.

Some animals of both public and private zoos have been found to be suffering from severe mental illnesses developing from loneliness. A prime example is of Kaavan, a lonely elephant in Marghzar zoo of Islamabad recently raised an international outcry. An animal rights activist and an American singer, Cher raised voice and attention towards the lonely Kaavan confined in the Marghzar zoo of Islamabad. The elephant was exposed to minimum shelter amidst scorching heat of summers and it had been locked up for twenty-six years posing a severe mental trouble for it. A recent move by Pakistan’s court to free Kaavan and to allow it to travel to Cambodia has been a great triumph for the animal rights activists raising public campaigning and outcry for it. At present, Kaavan is rehabilitating and is kept in wildlife sanctuary of Cambodia, which houses more than 80 elephants and is well equipped with facilities.

The lions confined in small and concrete floored cages of Lahore as well as wild hyenas kept in the private small zoos of Karachi portray a scenario of misery of the zoos of Pakistan. These animals are provided a least conducive environment in the zoos whereas these are accustomed to living in an open air and in a cage less environment.

Considering the afore-mentioned empirical evidence, animal rights activists and zoologists have asserted that it is indeed cruel and unethical to remove the innocent wildlife from its natural habitat and confine it in a restricted cage. There stands a dire need to improve the environmental conditions and facilities rendered towards the wildlife creatures kept in the zoos of Pakistan so that our zoos are a source of marvel and pride across the globe!

The writer can be reached at aiyza.javaid@gmail.com