Zoos or gallows: mighty elephants dying pitiful deaths
Elephants are among the few animals to have survived several ice ages spanning millions of years. Yet it is upsetting to confess that even an animal holding the physical strength to tolerate unlivable climate conditions in the wild cannot complete their life span in ‘modern’ zoos across Pakistan.
Three elephants have died across major zoos in the country during the past few years. In 2023, a 17-year-old female elephant Noor Jahan died in Karachi Zoo, while in 2024, Sonia, a 22-year-old elephant, died in Karachi's Safari Park. According to post-mortem reports, Noor Jahan died due to blood parasites while Sonia's cause of death was tuberculosis. Earlier in 2017, Lahore Zoo's only elephant Suzi had also passed away at the age of 35 years. Suzi's cause of death was attributed to uric acid and obesity.
According to experts, one reason behind the deaths of these three elephants was isolation. Professor Dr Zulfikar Ali, Head of the Department of Zoology at the University of Punjab revealed that elephants were social animals that liked living in groups in large areas. “In captivity, they have less space, due to which they become prone to arthritis. Their joints start to ache, and they die at an early age. The government is making efforts to import three elephants from Zimbabwe to the Lahore Wildlife Safari Zoo, but these have not been successful yet,” claimed Dr Ali.
Where isolation can be a significant factor reducing the life spans of captive animals, the lack of medical facilities has emerged as the primary cause of premature deaths. For instance, in Karachi, the Safari Park, which spreads over an area of 207 acres with a zoo population of 400 animals including two female elephants, has only one compound established for medical emergencies, in the absence of an animal hospital and adequate veterinary staff for vaccinating and treating captive animals.
“Almost 100 staff posts are vacant at the Safari Park due to several members retiring over the past few years. This includes the post of one veterinary doctor, nine paramedical staff, a gardener, and a zookeeper. During the past 14 months, I have not seen a single animal being vaccinated against any disease,” disclosed Amjad Zaidi, Director at the Safari Park.
“Vaccination, both through injection and oral medication, is mandatory to prevent diseases among animals. The postmortem report of the deceased elephant, Sonia, showed that she was suffering from seven different diseases including septicemia, respiratory failure, liquefative necrosis, fibrosis in the lungs, ulcerative enterocolitis, cardiovascular collapse and multi-organ dysfunction. These diseases spread due to lack of prevention,” informed Dr M.H Pirzada, a vet.
According to a spokesperson for Four Paws, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) was responsible for the care of animals kept at the Safari Park. “African elephants need a special environment which is not available in Karachi, while the food given to these elephants is also substandard and unsuitable. The elephants are in urgent need of care and attention. We have offered our services to KMC to further support the elephants. A feeding plan has also been shared,” said the spokesperson.
Not much different was the situation at the Peshawar Zoo. Adjacent to the University of Peshawar, the zoo has become a key tourist destination for people from across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, who visit the spot to marvel in the glory of over 150 animals and 1,200 birds, including rare and exotic species. However, concerns over the zoo's management and care of the captive animals have cast a negative shadow over the facility’s reputation.
Sajid Khan, a resident of Tehkal, expressed his grave concerns over the lack of proper veterinary facilities at the zoo. Speaking to The Express Tribune, he highlighted that numerous high-value animals, including giraffes and deer worth millions of rupees, have died due to inadequate care. "The zoo was meant to be a sanctuary for animals, but sadly, it feels more like a death cell where animals are brought to die," he remarked, while also pointing out the absence of any investigation or accountability for these deaths.
Shahid Khan, a student at the University of Peshawar, echoed similar concerns. While appreciating the zoo as a recreational space for children, Khan criticised the substandard care for animals. “International standards are ignored here. You can’t call this a great zoo just because you show children a few monkeys and birds. The administration and the government must ensure better facilities for these animals rather than waiting for them to die each month,” he lambasted.
On the other hand, Peshawar Zoo’s Director, Muhammad Sajjad Khan, defended the facility, claiming that it adhered to international standards. “All the necessary facilities, including modern monitoring systems, veterinarians and staff are available round-the-clock to ensure the animals’ well-being,” he stated, while adding that during the past one year Rs45 million had been generated through entry tickets, cafeteria, and play land facilities.
Despite these claims, critics argue that the zoo’s management has failed to create a safe and nurturing environment for the animals. While new facilities and increasing revenue showcase the zoo’s potential, the recurring deaths of rare animals tarnish its image and raise questions about accountability and care standards.
“Therefore, it is not recommended to import new elephants since the zoo staff is not being trained in their proper capacity. Legally speaking, it is banned to import elephants from Zimbabwe,” concluded Dr Aamir Khaleel, Head of Four Paws.
On the other hand, the spokesperson of Punjab Wildlife claimed that three elephants were to be imported for the Lahore Safari Zoo. “The CITIES Management Committee of the Ministry of Climate Change, in its recommendations, approved the adoption of the elephant subject to the approval of the CITIES Animals Committee and ICUN's Elephant Specialist Group," they said.
According to sources from the Federal Ministry of Climate Change, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITIES) and the Elephant Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have rejected the requests related to the export of elephants from Pakistan.
Earlier, requests to import elephants for the Lahore Zoo and Peshawar Zoo have also been rejected in 2020. The private firm that won the contract to import elephants appealed to the Supreme Court, but the appeal was also rejected. According to SITES and IUCN rules, elephants cannot be traded commercially since the transfer of African elephants from one region or country to another can only be done for breeding, research and medical treatment.
WWF-Pakistan Director Hammad Naqi revealed that he has been working against the captivity of endangered animals since a long time. “We have succeeded in stopping the import of elephants at the Peshawar Zoo and have also sent the captive elephants in Islamabad to other countries. The management of the Lahore Wildlife Safari Zoo claim that they have built an enclosure for elephants according to international standards and have also prepared documents. However, our position is very clear. Only those animals may be imported that are not on the list of endangered animals of CITIES,” said Naqi.