Wildlife and zoo: For the love of animals, two social entrepreneurs set up private zoo

The zoo facilitates students and researchers interested in animal studies.

KARACHI:

Take a tour of the recently inaugurated private zoo at the Zeeshan Shaheed Park to provide education and entertainment to your children simultaneously.

There is a cub of puma ready to jump at you, a South African monkey called Mona who is ready to eat the cookies you offer and groups of 12-foot long Indian and nine-foot long Albino-burmes pythons enclosed in glass cages. You can also not miss a Cockatoo parrot making complex sounds for attention.

The zoo has been set up by two families, who had earlier kept these animals at their homes.

Sulcata turtles, monkeys, juvenile crocodile, Marsh ostrich, white-and-black swan ducks, chickens, Chingara dear, dozens of different birds, fish are also present at the private zoo. There is also an empty space for a black  bear and a tiger.

“First we had these pets at our home. Now we have set up our own private zoo with legal permission,” said 21-year-old Hassan Hussain, son of a local businessman.



The family has built a special enclosure inside the zoo, in which they keep seven Albino and Indian Rocks pythons - the largest one being 12-foot long which eat chickens.

Hussain is currently studying and wants to become a veterinary doctor as he is an animal enthusiast. “We established the zoo in Nazimabad to facilitate students and researchers interested in animal studies.”

“We also plan to establish a free veterinary hospital. Most of the people around here are animal lovers and appreciate the zoo,” said Atif Imtiaz, the business partner of Hussain.

“Basically, we want people to realise that puma, crocodile, pitbull and other dangerous species also need the attention of people. Hence, we are providing an animal-friendly environment, where you can play with them,” he added.

He further said that in a normal zoo, one can observe the animals are not familiar with the humans, while, in this zoo, we have created an animal-friendly environment, he informed.

They named their zoo, “The wildlife experience centre”, with the motto of providing education, conservation, rehabilitation and research simultaneously.

The animal lovers also organise pet shows and media programmes.

“Now universities are also approaching us. They want us to speak about animals, as there is a misperception about some species,” he added.

“Those wanting to take pictures with one arm wrapped around the necks of pythons could do so as these species are not venomous,” he added.

“By organising such events, we also obtain funds to run our private zoo, instead of seeking donations,” said Hussain.

“We have already invested around Rs10 million from our own pockets. We know this passion is priceless,” he informed.

Hussain said that all pets are unique, as pythons and snakes don’t respond to you like other pets.

Pythons are not lethal, while puma also needs attention and are human friendly. They could become good pets if people took proper care of them, he added.

Moazzam Khan of World Wide Fund for Nature, however, said that it was not desirable to cage animals, but for research and educational purposes and for the safety of the endangered species, it was good.

“If these people provide a natural environment and desirable food to the animal, they won’t become extinct,” he informed.

MPA Rehan Zafar while talking to The Express Tribune informed that it was good step to open a zoo in the locality, adding that they had granted the permission.

“They provide education and research facilities for the community. Earlier, this park was abandoned by the authorities, but now it has become an important place where people can enjoy a friendly environment,” he added.

A spokesperson for Sindh wildlife department said that the department authorised them to pet the species, including puma, turtle, pythons and others animals.

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