Karachi zoo authorities unhappy with public for littering animals' cages

Administration claims lack of cooperation from visitors is creating sanitation problems

KARACHI: Being one of the most popular recreational spots in the city, the Karachi Zoological Gardens entertain a large number of people on a daily basis. However, the animals do not get the treatment they deserve from the visitors as people continue to litter their cages and the zoo premises.

The zoo, which is more than 100 years old, is covered by hundreds of trees that help in providing a cleaner environment for not just the animals but also for the visitors. One gets to see more than 900 animals at the zoo, just by paying Rs20 as entry fee. However, despite this, the visitors keep the zoo sweepers busy cleaning the garbage thrown by them on the grass, tracks and even inside the cages of the animals.



Saqib Meekael, a sweeper at the zoo, said they start sweeping the zoo from 7am and it continues till the evening. "Other than leaves, there is a lot of garbage thrown by the visitors even though dustbins are installed in every corner of the zoo," he added. Pointing at a gunny sack next to him, Meekael said this this is for collecting plastic shopper bags that people usually throw in the zoo or inside the cages. The zoo has a total of around 10 sweepers.

The children, who hang on to the grills of the cages to watch their favourite animals, end up littering the surroundings of the cages, intentionally or unintentionally. Juice boxes or wrappers can usually be seen inside the cages, which are thrown at the animals by the people to get their attention.

Another sweeper, Sanjesh Kumar, said they even have to go inside the cages of the wild animals to remove the wrappers or any garbage. "Frequently going into the cages irritates the animals," he said.

Zoo Director Fahim Khan claimed that he takes several rounds of the zoo in the day to keep a check on the waste disposal work. He added he has directed the sweepers to always keep collecting garbage from inside the cages.

He added that on weekends and on days when the zoo is only for women and children, more than 1,500 people visit it. They bring along food and snacks with them but they throw the garbage on the grass or on tracks instead of throwing them in the dustbins, he claimed. "The zoo has numerous dustbins and enough sweepers," Khan said. "However, despite this, the lack of cooperation from the visitors is creating a problem of sanitation for the zoo administration."

He added that the zoo administration does not require any heavy amount of budget from the government to keep the zoo clean because these sweepers and dustbins are enough for this. However, he added, the problem is with the people who are not responsible citizens. The public litter the same place that entertains them at a low price, he added.

Khan said if the plastic bags or wrappers that are thrown inside the cages are consumed by the animals, it can cause great problems for them. Talking about the issue, Rashid Pirzada, who is a veterinary doctor, said that minor things can pass through the animal's intestines but the plastic bags or wrappers can get stuck, which can then lead to surgery for the removal.



Dr Pirzada believes that there is a lack of awareness among the people. He added that throwing things at the animals can change their psychological behaviour because most of the animals prefer living in isolation. This can make them sick or the animals can also stop eating for several days because they get irritated by such behaviour and they are not made for such a lifestyle, Dr Pirzada added.

When The Express Tribune approached many families, they refused to comment when they were asked about the poor waste disposal done by the public. However, Aneela Majid, an elderly woman who had come along her sisters and their children, said that the visitors try not to litter the zoo but children sometimes throw away garbage wherever they feel like.

Majid added that it is the responsibility of citizens to keep the place clean, instead of blaming it on others. "We must become more responsible and that is the only way forward," she said, adding that the zoo administration should, however, increase the number of sweepers to keep the zoo clean.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Urban Resource Centre director Zahid Farooq asked how eight to 10 sweepers could be enough for such a huge zoo. He added that although it is the responsibility of the citizens but the zoo authority has to manage such problems on their own instead of relying on people's cooperation. He added that these sweepers should also be given self-defence training because they have to go inside the cages to clean them.