Cost estimates sought for purchase of zoo animals

Minister asks officials to pay more attention to Adopt an Animal programme

LAHORE: A committee set up to oversee purchase of new animals for the Lahore Zoo and Lahore Safari Park was on Tuesday given 15 days to prepare cost estimates for the proposed animals.

Provincial Minister for Forests, Wildlife and Fisheries Malik Muhammad Asif Bha Awan issued the directive, saying that the purchase should be completed at the earliest.

He was presiding over a meeting of the 12-member committee set up by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to oversee purchase of new animals for the  two major recreational spaces in the city.

The minister asked the officials to pay special attention to the Adopt an Animal programme. He said the department should make arrangements for interested citiznes to submit their applications for adoption of an animal online.

He stressed the need for a dedicated marketing department for the zoo. He said the department could visit schools across the city and disseminate information about zoo animals among students.

The minister also directed officials concerned to set up souvenir shops at the zoo and the safari park.

The meeting stressed the need for a strategy to expand the number of wildlife parks in the province. It was decided that in the first phase establishment of these parks should be ensured at the divisional level. In the second phase, wildlife parks should be set up in all districts of the province.

The meeting was also attended by Minister for Zakat and Ushr Malik Nadeem Kamran, National Assembly Member Afzal Khokhar, Provincial Assembly Member Saira Iftikhar, the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences vice chancellor, Wildlife Director General Khalid Ayaz Khan, Chief Game Warden Shah Rukh Butt, and directors of the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab and the Lahore Zoo.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 23^rd, 2015.