MoCC pulling Islamabad Zoo out of dismal state

Animals in poor health due to lack of food, unclean environment

ISLAMABAD: All-out efforts are being taken under an over-arching plan to improve the overall conditions of the Islamabad Zoo and its animals to bring them at par with those in developed countries, said Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) spokesperson Mohammad Saleem.

Before Islamabad High Court’s (IHC’s) order on July 29 regarding transfer of administrative control of the Islamabad Zoo from the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) to the MoCC, the zoo was in a highly deplorable condition due to poor its poor management and lack of adequate cleanliness and food arrangements for the animals, he said talking to the media on Sunday.

“Due to various steps taken by the MoCC, overall conditions of the Islamabad Zoo and its animals have improved significantly in many ways between July 30 and August 29, a period during which the zoo remained in administrative control of the ministry,” Saleem said.

He also highlighted that a detailed court order from the IHC on September 2 also recognised the ministry’s efforts in improving the conditions of the zoo and its animals.

The court order reads, “It is obvious from the arguments advanced by the parties today that the situation has considerably improved. This arrangement will therefore will continue till the next date and thus the order dated July 5, 2019 is not required to be extended,” Saleem recalled.

He further recalled that the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) had approached the IHC and in July, 2019 sought its attention through a writ petition towards extremely pathetic conditions of the zoo and animals inside it, while highlighting its causes.

Following the hearing, the IHC gave an order on July 5, 2019 for transfer of the Islamabad Zoo from IMC to the MoCC. But, IMC officials created different hurdles before implementing the IHC’s order.

Saleem added that the IHC made the ministry’s joint secretary (administration) an in-charge of the zoo to save it from plunging into worse conditions. Many animals were in poor conditions because of sickness and lack of food.

“The ministry utilised its own resources and capacities to improve the deplorable conditions of the zoo and the animals caged inside it with no adequate food, healthcare facilities for them,” the spokesperson said.

He explained that one of the key steps toward improving the conditions of zoo the ministry took was improving living conditions of the animals and ensuring cleanliness of the cages for the sake of the animals’ health.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 7^th, 2019.