Protecting the weakest

In the last few weeks, there have been notable and admirable developments regarding animals in our zoos. Three weeks ago, a lonely elephant, Kaavan, reached Cambodia. But while Kaavan’s plight captured public attention, a lot more needs to be done. The whole notion of caged animals in zoos, confined in unacceptable conditions, far from their natural habitat, with little care should disgust us all. 

There was a time the world was all about caged animals and told tales of glamorous hunters who killed, maimed or tamed wild beasts of the Dark Continent. Fortunately, most of the world has moved on from that vile position of torture. Many have now moved to a more thoughtful position of care and coexistence. This includes animals in our zoos. Modern zoos are more of a sanctuary than theatre. They are meant to care for animals that are vulnerable, and protect the species through scientific research and conservation. This is not the case in Pakistan and we have a long way to go. Most zoos in Pakistan remain woefully underfunded. They have few, if any, staff members who are trained, and appropriate care for animals ranging from their habitat to treatment in case of sickness, is rarely provided. A trip to a zoo is a spectacle of misery. With little civic sense, we treat these already miserable animals with embarrassing behaviour.

While some may argue that in a country where life is cheap, and an ordinary person struggles to make ends meet, why they should care about animals in the zoo. But it should never be a question of one or the other. We can, and should, take care of our people and treat animals with love, decency and empathy. If the goal is empathy — as we keep reminding everyone as a fundamental pillar of our society — there is no reason we should not be able to extend it to animals. If our zoos are poorly funded and staff is untrained to take appropriate care of animals, then such zoos should cease to exist. For those who argue that our zoos provide education or entertainment to the masses, let there be a clear position that there is no education or entertainment in seeing a miserable bear baking in the sun with no water, or an elephant so sad that it refuses to move an inch. I am all for providing opportunities to learn and entertain for the masses, especially those with little to spend, but it should not come at the cost of abject cruelty.

Another case in point is Houbara bustards. The poor bird is in the crosshairs again. It is more troubling because the same folks who argued a few years ago about the cruelty of this practice have now embraced the very practices that they found abhorrent. The only difference is that at that time they were in opposition and hence on the high moral horse, and now in power, they know that morality or standing up for the poor creatures has little value at the bank. There may be a day, when our lack of empathy and decency will mean that there is no bird left in the wild, for the people with deep pockets and infinite vanity but little kindness, to hunt.

The zoos and the treatment of animals is part of a bigger problem in our tradition. The poor monkey seen jumping and saluting at the command of its master in our markets — in the so-called bandar ka tamasha (the spectacle of the monkey) is beaten, tortured and drugged. Circus animals do not fare much better. It shouldn’t take a meeting of Cher with the Prime Minister to improve the life of an animal in the country. We should do better ourselves.