Injured primate rescued
A male injured monkey, rescued from port city's thickly populated area, has been shifted to Islamabad near to its habitat.
A local resident, spotting an injured monkey in a warehouse located in Korangi area, informed Sindh Wildlife Department (SWD) on Monday. The team when reached the area found the animal in a very pathetic condition.
"It was injured and badly treated by the people around him," said SWD Inspector Naeem Khan. "We managed to transport it from the warehouse to the rehabilitation centre," he added.
It was learnt that monkey was kept in a nursery for the last couple of years. "It was chained and was in illegal possession," said SWD's provincial head Javed Ahmed Mahar.
The monkey which is of local specie, called Rhesus Macaques, was kept in SWD's possession for a few days. Officials said that the area around Islamabad is one of the habitat of these species.
To shift to a safer place, Rina Khan Satti, the head of Islamabad Wildlife Management Board was contacted who, according to SWD officials agreed to rehabilitate the monkey before releasing it to its habitat. On Saturday, the monkey which has named 'Lucky' was sent to Islamabad by a train to Rawalpindi.
"An official of the department was sent with the Lucky to look after it during the journey," Mahar said. He further mentioned that the safe rescue and travel to its habitat was a challenging task. Sources told The Express Tribune that there is no rehabilitation facility with the SWD, where rescued animals and birds could be kept for few weeks.
Countless monkeys have been seen in different parts of the province including its provincial capital. Majority of these monkey are in illegal possession.
Mahar, said that operation has been launched against illegal possession of monkeys. "We will shift them to Islamabad which is their natural habitat," he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 22nd, 2021.