Lahore Zoo’s adoption scheme raises questions over animal welfare

As citizens, schools and companies sponsor wild animals, experts call for better facilities, improved animal care

LAHORE:

Lahore Zoo’s new adoption scheme puts a price on wildlife sponsorship, but will it do enough to improve life behind the enclosures?

A private school recently adopted a male hippopotamus, named “Gabo” by its students. Under the new scheme, adopters can visit their animals, learn about their health and diet, and offer care suggestions, but cannot take them home. They receive certificates and educational material, while their names may appear on enclosures.

Deputy Director Shahzaib Khurshid said individuals and institutions could adopt animals for one, three or six months, or a year. Veterinary Officer Dr Muhammad Azhar said zoo staff remained responsible for their feeding, health and care.

Read: Lahore Zoo welcomes 29 new animals

According to the zoo administration, annual adoption fees vary by species. Sponsoring lions, tigers and other big cats costs Rs1 million, while the annual fee for a hippopotamus is Rs600,000. A giraffe costs Rs300,000, a fawn Rs100,000 and other antelopes Rs150,000. Interested individuals can contact the administration for details of fees for shorter periods.

The programme has attracted celebrities and educational institutions in the past. Actress Reema adopted two fawns after becoming a goodwill ambassador, while Babra Sharif sponsored a lion cub named “Shainko”. Actress Meera, the University of the Punjab, Government College University and several private educational institutions have also participated in animal adoption initiatives.

Citizen Abdul Rehman said the programme offered an opportunity for people interested in wildlife but lacking space to keep animals at home. Through adoption at the zoo, he said, enthusiasts could support animals while allowing them to remain in an appropriate environment.

Student Nida Fatima suggested extending the initiative to birds, saying it would encourage students and citizens to contribute to the conservation of a wider range of species.

Similar programmes operate at zoos across the region. Mysore Zoo in India has reportedly generated crores of rupees in a single year through its adoption scheme. Its annual fees include approximately Rs300,000 for an elephant, Rs100,000 for a lion or tiger and Rs50,000 for a hippopotamus, while deer can be adopted at lower rates. Zoos in Delhi and Hyderabad also allow families, schools and companies to sponsor animals such as lions, tigers and elephants.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) distinguishes domestic animal sponsorship from commercial wildlife trade. The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) stresses that animal welfare includes suitable habitats, good health, social needs and natural behaviours, with adoption funds supporting these needs.

Animal rights activist and lawyer Altamash Saeed said keeping wild animals at home was wrong and illegal. He supported zoo-based adoption but called for better facilities, larger enclosures and stricter monitoring to ensure animal welfare. Animals, he said, should not be treated merely as a source of entertainment, and their welfare must remain a priority.

Wildlife laws restrict keeping large wild animals in urban homes. Experts say the adoption programme can support conservation, provided funds are used transparently to improve animal care and living conditions.

Additional Chief Wildlife Ranger for Central Punjab Mudassar Hassan said the initiative was not limited to Lahore Zoo. Citizens and institutions could adopt animals at any zoo or safari park in Punjab.

He warned that keeping large cats, including lions and tigers, in homes posed serious risks to public safety and animal welfare. Such animals require specialised enclosures, appropriate diets, veterinary facilities and trained handlers. Adoption at recognised facilities, he said, provides a safer alternative for people wishing to support wildlife.