Many animals die in Pakistani zoos due to negligence or soaring temperatures
LAHORE: The Lahore Zoo was recently gifted 18 big cats, including African lions, white tigers and Royal Bengal tigers, by the prime minister of the United Arab Emirates. While the transfer is well-intentioned, as inbreeding of the cats that are already present in the country is resulting in genetic mutations, so it is a cause of concern. Our zoos are not well equipped to house these animals. They have small concrete enclosures with metal bars, which are provided to all animals as their permanent homes, without taking the animals’ habitat or their natural instincts into consideration. Many animals die in Pakistani zoos due to negligence or soaring temperatures. I hope these cats do not fall victim to the same negligence, and are provided with spacious enclosures like their natural habitat.
Farzana Humayun
Published in The Express Tribune, May 3rd, 2019.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
