Old age: Raju was first lion to survive captivity for so long: zoo vet

KARACHI:

Raju is the first lion who has survived in captivity for such a long time in Pakistan, claimed Dr Mahwish Abbasi, a veterinarian at the Karachi Zoological Gardens.

The city's 23-year-old lion died on Friday evening. Abbasi said that the cause of its death was senility. "When lions come to their decline, their hind limbs paralyse and they lose their appetite," she explained. "Raju was a senior lion."

The empty cage in which the lion lived had a piece of wood lying on one side and an old bushy tree in the middle of the concrete walls. It seemed small for such an old lion. A light pink tiled room inside allowed some sunlight through the iron bars. Raju was three years older than the average age of lions that is 20 years. It also lived for five years longer than the life expectancy of lions in captivity. Its health had deteriorated in recent days and it had stopped eating the day before he died. It was being given a daily dose of supplements. The panel of doctors given the responsibility to restore Raju's health have been directed by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) director to present a medical report and a post-mortem report. Raju was donated to the KMC in 2005 by Habib Oil Mills. He was an African lion pathera leo.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2015.