Onlookers cheer abuse of captive rhino at Lal Suharna National Park

Animal abuse is an everyday occurrence in Pakistan, even in zoos, where the animals are supposed to be 'protected'. Only in rare exceptions do they get punished, and even this is mostly at the paws of the offended animal rather than their human caretakers. More often than not the abusers get away without penalty. Will the same be the case with the rhino-steppers of Lal Suhanra?

Located in the Bahawalpur District, Lal Suhanra was declared Pakistan’s first national park in 1972.

The park features a large lake which is ideal for bird-watching and is home to a blackbuck breeding programme. The blackbuck was on the verge of extinction, but the program now boasts well over 500 antelopes. It also hosts hog deer, chinkara gazelle and nilgai antelope, along with a few rhinoceroses, which were gifts from the Nepalese government.

Khan Shaharyar Ahmed, who was visiting the park and taking pictures, came across an unfortunate incident.



A rhinoceros was standing along the boundary wall when two park visitors started mistreating the animal. First, they made some noises to rile it up. When that didn't work, one of them put his foot on the head of the pachyderm and took a selfie. The other visitor did the same and began tugging at the animal's ear.

Onlookers nearby made no attempt to stop them, with some even egging them on and praising them.

Ahmed highlights how no one was brave enough to raise their voices against this cruelty. When he asked the men to stop mistreating the animal, the men got angry with him.

He suggested that cameras should be installed around the whole territory to monitor the activities of visitors.

"People who are not good with animals, also deal with people badly," says Ahmed.