The two elephants at the city's Safari Park — Malika and Madhubala — reportedly showed significant signs of recovery from tuberculosis (TB), with park officials stating that the animals are now 80 per cent healthy.
According to Safari Park administration, the elephants were diagnosed with TB around four months ago. Since then, they have been under continuous treatment administered by a team of Sri Lankan veterinarians. Due to the contagious nature of the disease, public access to the elephants was restricted following the diagnosis.
The park management confirmed that the treatment has been ongoing for the past three months, and both Malika and Madhubala are steadily improving. A delegation of Sri Lankan veterinary experts is expected to visit Pakistan in October for follow-up assessments. Based on their evaluation, a decision will be made regarding whether to reopen public access to the elephants.
It is worth noting that the four elephants currently at Safari Park were originally brought to Karachi from Tanzania in 2009.
Tragically, two of them — Noor Jehan and Sonia died after prolonged illnesses in 2023 and 2024 respectively. Their deaths raised concerns over elephant care standards, prompting intensified veterinary oversight for the remaining pair.
The administration says it is hopeful that with continued care, Malika and Madhubala will make a full recovery and soon be able to resume their place as a central attraction at the park.
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