KARACHI 05 April (Online): The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has finally decided to relocate two elephants \u2014 Noor Jehan and Madhubala \u2014 from Karachi Zoological Gardens to sprawling Safari Park within one month.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, the KMC extended full support to the international animal welfare group, Four Paws, currently engaged in efforts to save Noor Jehan\u2019s life at the zoo.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are with Four Paws. All departments are ready to arrange any logistics needed for medical procedures. We are also making preparations to shift both zoo elephants to Safari Park within a month as per experts\u2019 recommendation,\u201d Karachi Administrator Dr Saif-ur-Rehman said, while speaking to journalists at the zoo following his interaction with experts.<\/p>\n
He praised the Four Paws\u2019 team and said after carrying out several animal welfare and rescue missions in different parts of the world it came here to help save Noor Jehan\u2019s life.<\/p>\n
The ailing elephant, he added, had been suffering from some neurological deficiencies for the past two to three months that had severely affected her hind legs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe kind of treatment Noor Jehan requires isn\u2019t available in Pakistan. So, we approached the international group to help us diagnose her illness and suggest and offer treatment, if possible,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
On behalf of the government, the administrator offered complete support to the team for Noor Jehan\u2019s medical assessment and treatment.<\/p>\n
It might be recalled that the Four Paws had recommended in its report over a year ago that zoo elephants should be shifted to the Safari Park that also houses two more elephants.<\/p>\n
The latter facility with reduced noise pollution was more appropriate for the species that should live in a herd, according to their natural environment, experts had stated.<\/p>\n
Representing the global animal welfare group, Dr Amir Khalil emphasised the need for joint efforts to save Noor Jehan\u2019s life.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now, Noor Jehan is alive. What happened in the past isn\u2019t important. But, what\u2019s important now is to focus on giving her the best chance for life,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Asked about her disease, Dr Khalil explained that only a detailed medical assessment, which included an endoscopy, ultrasounds and X-rays, could help make the diagnosis.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cWe don\u2019t know what went wrong with her. But, her condition has deteriorated very fast within a few weeks. She got swelling on her hind legs as well as genital parts and she could barely walk. Right now, she has a 50-50 chance for survival.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn our assessment, our biggest concern would be not to let the animal fall after being administered anaesthesia without which one couldn\u2019t carry out tests,\u201d Dr Khalil explained, adding that the elephant weighing around three and a half tonnes wouldn\u2019t be able to stand again if she fell on the ground.<\/p>\n
A crane would be arranged to keep the sedated animal standing during the procedure, he added.<\/p>\n
The Four Paws\u2019 team is on its fourth visit to the Karachi zoo. In August last year, it performed major tusk surgeries on Noor Jehan and Madhubala, the other female elephant.<\/p>\n
In 2021, the team submitted a report to the Sindh High Court, recommending a series of steps on elephants\u2019 welfare, which was approached by a group of citizens worried over animal plight.<\/p>\n
The team strongly suggested shifting the zoo elephants to Safari Park, also housing two female elephants, on grounds that the latter facility had reduced noise pollution and provided a better species-specific environment.<\/p>\n
Both Noor Jehan and Madhubala, along with two other Safari elephants, were caught and separated from their mothers at a very young age in Tanzania in 2010 and brought to Karachi under a controversial agreement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
KARACHI 05 April (Online): The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has finally decided to relocate two elephants \u2014 Noor Jehan and Madhubala \u2014 from Karachi Zoological Gardens to sprawling Safari Park within one month. On Tuesday, the KMC extended full support to the international animal welfare […]<\/p>\n
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