Humane concern: Animal rights’ activists regret camels’ death

LAHORE: “It is unfortunate that camels were killed in a road accident. Such incidents can be a serious risk for human life too,” Uzma Khan, director of biodiversity at WWF-Pakistan, told The Express Tribune on Wednesday.

Two accidents in south Punjab on Tuesday claimed the lives of nine camels and caused injuries to a dozen more. In the first incident, four camels were killed and 12 injured when a train ran into them in Rahim Yar Khan. In the second incident in Multan, five camels grazing near an electricity pylon were killed when they walked into transmission wires.

Khan said animal mortality was common in road accidents and deaths of smaller animals usually went unnoticed. “Loss of habitat has fragmented the area where animals live. Animals frequently cross roads to go from one habitat patch to another.  The person behind the steering wheel is responsible for his or her own life, other passengers and also the lives of animals that use roads,” she said.

Animal rights activist Syed Abubakar said, “It is sad to hear that the camels died after colliding with a train... The driver should have seen the camels. If both sides had been a little more careful, the accident could have been avoided.”

Environmentalist Nuzhat Siddiqi said communities near railway tracks should be sensitised about the hazards of cattle grazing near the tracks. “As for transmission lines, local authorities must be held accountable for not putting up effective barriers around them. It was camels this time. It could be children next,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 12^th, 2014.