Specimen of dead ibex sent for lab test
The samples from the dead Sindh ibex were sent to two laboratories on Saturday in a bid to unravel the mysterious deaths at Kirthar National Park. The samples were sent to the Central Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Tando Jam and the HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry at Karachi University by the Sindh Wildlife Department.
Wildlife Department officials discovered no less than eight carcasses of Sindh ibex near a watering hole in an area known as Bambh Seer, nestled within the hilly terrain of the Kirthar Range. The trek to this location was an arduous one, taking several hours, they said.
Reports also indicate that officials came across around 10 more Sindh ibex carcasses, but these were attributed to natural causes. Sindh Wildlife Department head Javed Ahmed Mahar cautioned against prematurely labeling these deaths as mysterious. "We must wait for the results from the laboratories, which are expected within three days," he emphasised. More than 20,000 of these wild goats inhabit an area spanning seven million acres across three districts: Malir (Karachi), Jamshoro, and Dadu.
Mahar also confirmed that some of the animals exhibited signs of inactivity. "Our team is already on-site in the affected area," he noted. "It is as yet unconfirmed whether these animals were afflicted by any disease or if there is an underlying cause for these deaths."
Published in The Express Tribune, September 17th, 2023.