Visitors disappointed as zoo keeps Bengal Tigers out of view

KARACHI:

The Karachi zoo was abuzz with energy on Sunday as thousands of people gathered there, eager to catch a glimpse of two of its newest guests – a pair of Bengal Tigers which had been imported all the way from Belgium. However, much to the chagrin of the visitors, the administrators had occluded the tigers’ cage by a tent.

The tigers are being kept temporarily at the zoo and will be permanent residents of Safari Park. The zoo’s director, Dr Kazim Hussain, tried to justify this move by saying, “The tigers arrived in the morning and they were agitated. We needed to keep the public away so that the animals could familiarise themselves with the new environment.”

The much anticipated white lions have also arrived in the city. One other reason that the tigers were not displayed is that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s administrator will unveil them along with the lions in a ceremony with heavy media coverage. “Hopefully, the administrator will be in the city and conduct a formal inauguration on Monday, after which we can allow the public to view the animals,” said Dr Hussain.

Not only was the presence of the tents an irritant for the visitors, but it also set the rumour mill in motion. Muhammad Shafeeq, who visited the zoo with his family, said he had no clue about what lay hidden behind the tent. “Only god knows why they are keeping this a secret. They must have been given orders by an official on a high post. There is so much politics in this country. I heard they got black tigers.” Another man standing near him said that white lions were in the enclosure while others speculated that a rare panther might be lurking just beyond sight.

The zoo draws between 25,000 and 30,000 visitors every Sunday. The number increased over the last year after the zoo’s former chief, Bashir Sadozai, ordered extensive renovations. However, some facilities are still missing and people don’t seem to know where the toilets are located. There is no proper system for families to find children who excitedly wander off and get lost in the crowd.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2012.