After successful launch of aquarium, Korangi zoo prepares for lion’s arrival

Mustaqeem came as a child, became zoo official 40 years later.

KARACHI:

When Muhammad Mustaqeem went to school near the Landhi-Korangi zoo, walking past the chimpanzee’s cage was the highlight of the day for him.

Forty years later, Mustaqeem has become the assistant director of the zoo and wants the future generations to cherish his childhood playground the same way.



Oscar, gold, silver, jewel, angelfish, discus, stingray, rosy barb, red-tailed black sharks, blue-line cat, zebra cichlid, red-tailed catfish, Chinese carps and Sindhi sharks are some of the fish species that the zoo aquarium holds. Once you step out, you can also see white fallow deer, peacocks, a pair of blue macaw, a jackal, a couple of porcupines, a mouflon antelope, ostriches, nilgai, and monkeys. The chimpanzee from Mustaqeem’s childhood died in the 90s.



“Green turtles, which are imported from Thailand, are the most popular among school children,” Mustaqeem says. The zoo administration is planning on inviting different schools to organise a field trip to raise revenue and advertise the zoo, as well.



Aquarium attracts crowds

The latest addition to the zoo, the aquarium, was inaugurated in September last year and has definitely increased the number of visitors, Mustaqeem admits. Previously, around 200 to 250 people visited the zoo every day, but since September, the numbers have gone up to 500.



All the species of fish are fresh water and there are no marine or brackish water species. Mustaqeem plans to keep this main attraction well protected so he uses prepared feed for the fish. “Mosquitoes’ larva and earthworms also keep the fish as happy as people are with biryani and qorma,” he says, chucking. The most expensive fish in the aquarium is the discus fish. “One pair costs Rs5,000 as it is not easily available.”

Nine-year-old Muhammad Hasan enjoys the fish aquarium the most. “This is the seventh time I have been here in the past four months,” he says, after counting it on his fingers.



Other attractions

Zoo in-charge Muhammad Saleem feels that, apart from the aquarium, it is the monkeys that keep the most people entertained. A large number of people showed up recently to catch a glimpse of the three-month-old monkey. “The children were laughing uncontrollably when the monkeys did their little tricks,” he recalls.

A lot of people have been asking when we are getting a lion, Saleem admits. He hopes that the number of visitors will double again once they manage to procure the king of the jungle. “The cage for a lion would be ready in June and then we will push the administration of the Karachi Zoo for a lion,” adds Mustaqeem. “The lion will, definitely, attract many people.”



The Landhi-Korangi zoo is under the administrative control of the Karachi Zoo and, Mustaqeem says, they follow the same standards. “No official of the wildlife department has ever inspected this place though,” he admits.

More animals, less humans

For Mustaqeem, this work is more than a job - it’s his passion. So he doesn’t mind working himself, instead of issuing orders but the human to animal ratio is something that worries him. “There are only three zoo keepers for 130 animals, and one fish keeper and two assistants for over a hundred different types of fish.” The total number of employees, including sweepers and guards, is around 25, “but we need more technical staff”.



The zoo has allocated a budget of Rs500,000, and out of this Rs350,000 has been allocated for the aquarium. The budget is only for maintenance, and the feed is brought from the Karachi zoo every week, Mustaqeem explains.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6^th, 2013.