Citizens concerned for Safari Park elephant

Concerns about an elephant at Safari Park were raised on social media by various wildlife conservationists after photos and videos of it being hurt went viral on Thursday. Park officials, however, denied that these photos were genuine. Some park officials expressed doubts that the viral videos were taken recently. And yet, as she was made to walk, some discomfort could be noticed.

Malaika, the female elephant of Safari Park is in stable condition, assured the park administration, clarifying that she only has some cracks on her foot.

"These are winter cracks," said Safari Park Director Aftab Ahmed Khan speaking to The Express Tribune. "They usually occur in the cold season."

According to Khan, doctors and caretakers of the park are looking after the health of the mammal.

Malaika, who is about 15-years-old, lives with her male partner, Sonu, who is around three years younger than her. The mammals are housed in an enclosure of around four acres, fenced in by an iron boundary. The park management has also built a big shed, made of iron, where both the elephants are kept from sunset till the break of dawn.

"Both are in stable condition and very fit," assured Khan.

The Express Tribune further learnt that Malaika is inflicted with an infection on her right foot due to the cracks on her heels but the park caretakers frequently moisturize the split skin.

The mahouts, Ali and Ramesh, said that they regularly apply Vaseline on Malaika's feet and she can walk easily and play with visitors.

Ali then prodded Malaika to move and demonstrate that there were no issues with her leg. But it was difficult to get the large animal moving.

Although, she appeared to be wincing and was reluctant to put one foot after the other, Zulfiqar, a worker at the park, insisted that she was not limping. "She is normal. There is no issue with her leg," he said.

Whether in pain or not, the elephant did make the walk, albeit somewhat abnormally, towards some trees with Ali and Ramesh pulling her to the spot.

Ali, who spoke to both Malaika and Sonu in Urdu, assured that the mammals were playing all day. "The doctor regularly visits and checks her health."

According to the Safari Park management, both the animals take at least 80 kilogrammes of food in a day, including fruit and vegetables. "We keep them in their house [the shed] after sunset, which has been the practice since they were brought here in 2009," said Zulfiqar.

Commenting on the condition of animals in enclosures, Sindh Wildlife Department Chief Conservator Javed Ahmed Mahar said that the life of animals could be changed with proper housekeeping.

"Animals like elephants should have at least 40 acres of land not four acres," Mahar suggested. "Elephants are born to walk in larger areas," he said.

He was of the view that in Pakistan housekeeping for animals was being done based on outdated designs. "Animals' houses should be designed by wildlife biologists not [civil] engineers," he said.

Meanwhile, social media remained unsatisfied with the park officials' claims. Malaika's purported pictures and videos were widely shared with many demanding of the government to ensure proper care for animals or send them back to their habitats lest they end up like Kavaan - before he was rescued.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2021.