Lahore Zoo’s Romeo and Julie

Cimpanzees Romeo and Julie accepted me as they developed familiarity, knew I wouldn't tease them as visitors often did

I first met Romeo in October 1998. He was a dark, handsome, muscular young male. I fell in love with him at first sight. Romeo was a chimpanzee at the Lahore Zoo. I was introduced to him by Dr Arshad Toosy, then the zoo director. Dr Toosy fed him and his partner Julie, fresh apples by hand. I was not sure whether I should be more impressed by the chimpanzees or by Dr Toosy. This was my first working day at the zoo. I wanted to be friends with these chimpanzees, and gradually they did become my friends, especially Romeo, who was known to be dangerous and naughty.



Romeo and Julie accepted me as they developed familiarity and knew I would not tease them as some visitors often did. I brought them fruits, juices, etc. I developed special affinity with Romeo, who would scratch my head and arms. If I did not see him for some days, he would become moody. He would stand tall, displaying his musculature, but would ignore me. I would have to talk to him for at least five to 10 minutes before he would come close, pouting his lips and I would scratch his head, and hold his powerful hands, which were not very different from mine. Romeo would be intensely jealous if I met Suzi the elephant first or gave more attention to Julie. Romeo and Julie had a son in 2000, who was named Tinku. Romeo did not know how to behave with the little baby, and one day, he held Tinku from the arm and gave him a good bang on the cage’s bars. Panic ensued and to avoid any risk of harm to Tinku, he was separated from Romeo, while Julie and Tinku stayed together.

Tinku was hand-reared for a little while. This made him the apple of everyone’s eyes. He was very ticklish and playful just like any human baby. He died at the age of four in September 2004, apparently because of a curable disease, pneumonia. The couple had two more daughters, Pinky and Honey.

Chimpanzees are highly intelligent beings. I used to make complicated puzzles for Romeo and he was able to solve all of them. He would welcome me with a hoot from a great distance even when I had been away for months. He was special, a star, an alpha male.

I had not been to the zoo in a few months when I got a call informing me that Romeo was sick and was not eating. As I reached his cage, he came to me. I had brought some food for him and fed him by hand. He was suspected to be suffering from TB or liver inflammation by the vets and just a few days later, early morning, I got a call informing me that Romeo had died. It really hurts even to write about Romeo today. Romeo’s loss in 2008 was tremendous and the zoo was distraught. Julie died in 2012, and just recently, Pinky also died. The zoo authorities have formed an inquiry committee to look into this.

I guess we form committees at all levels and then everyone forgets about the real issue at hand. The media is clearly not interested in what happens to animals; it is only interested in politics and how heated a political debate can be. The Lahore Zoo now has Honey, the last surviving member of Romeo’s family. A family group that the zoo had the opportunity to establish is now lost. The zoo, unfortunately, failed to operationalise the chimpanzee island they had established through an investment worth millions. There is still no mobile veterinary equipment at the zoo for correct and timely diagnosis of diseases that afflict the animals there. All that the zoo has is a dart gun with a cupboard of medicines! There is a serious need to raise the standards of animal welfare at our existing zoos rather than making new ones. Endangered species are not merchandise. Animals feel pain and emotions just like us.

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

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