State-owned zoos: Survival of the fittest
Most state-owned zoos in Pakistan have little interest in animal welfare
Ducks at the swan lake in Safari Park Zoo in Karachi swim in polluted water. PHOTO CREDIT: ARIF SOOMRO
Each year, with the arrival of summer, the scorching heat claims a few lives. To play it cool, most people drink lots of fluids and stay indoors, preferably in an air-conditioned space. Similarly, animals try to beat the heat by shedding, panting, seeking shelter or taking a dip. At most of the country’s state-owned zoos, however, animals are deprived of clean drinking water, let alone bathing water. In 2013 alone, over 23 deer at the Karachi zoo died after contracting a virus transmitted through the consumption of contaminated water and food, says Dr Hussain, who served at the zoo for over 25 years, but only 12 of the fatalities were reported. The trend continues as zoo administrators in Pakistan evade responsibility in the absence of proper checks and balances and, most importantly, a binding Zoo Act.
Zoos have existed throughout history because people like to look at animals. But take a trip to the Karachi zoo or the one in Islamabad and you can see unhealthy animals, some nervous or frightened and others simply lying listless on the concrete cage floors.
Their water troughs are empty and their cages are unsanitary, smelly and often littered with spoiled food. The duck ponds have putrid, green water and floating plastic bottles. As a result, fewer people visit zoos today and the administration continues to neglect and ill-treat the animals.
In Karachi, the Zoological Garden in Saddar, famously known as Gandhi Garden, and the Safari Park Zoo are both looked after by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC). The authority is responsible for providing a supportive environment for animals, proper living conditions, clean food and water and sufficient veterinary staff to attend to a large number of animals. However, the governing body has been ineffective in providing the most basic care which has resulted in several fatalities over the years, and the deaths are attributed to either ‘old age or diseases’. “There is no apparent reason for death,” says Faheem Khan, the director at Gandhi Garden. “Death is a natural thing, hence, animals die when their time comes,” he adds. According to the zoo’s director, under his authority visitors will never come across an empty water trough or pond and a large block of ice is placed in cages for the big cats during summer. But a recent visit to the zoo revealed no block of ice and the lions, tigers and pumas lay in their small enclosures, staring blankly at visitors. Even the chimpanzees, known for their mischievous ways, sat in their cages motionless due to excessive heat. As a result, the zoo even lost Raju, a 23-year-old lion, in February this year.
Dr Kazim Hussain, KMC’s additional director at Safari Park Zoo and a senior vet at the two zoos in Karachi, claims that drinking water in the bowls and troughs is replaced twice a day, depending on the animal’s habitat. “Clean water is provided and animals are given a bath, depending on how frequently they need it,” he adds. But 27-year-old Shahid, a coach driver who gives visitors a 15-minute tour of Safari Park, confesses that this is hardly the case. Many cages have empty drinking bowls, he reveals. “Even if water is provided, it is sourced from the polluted swan lake,” he adds. Not only are animals deprived of clean drinking water but many are exposed to direct sunlight due to few trees and no shelter. If this isn’t cruel enough, many injured animals are left untreated and succumb to infection from open wounds, he shares.
Conditions at Islamabad’s Marghazar Zoo, which contains 59 animal species, of which 44 are bird species, are no different. Established by the Capital Development Authority, the zoo has fallen prey to poor management and an indifferent attitude towards animal cruelty. Despite a number of deaths, mostly owing to mysterious diseases, little has been done to bring about a change. But according to Dr Bilal, a senior vet at the zoo, drinking water for animals is obtained from the zoo’s own tube well, which is tested for bacteria. And water for cleaning purposes is sourced from the Simly Dam, he says. The zoo also follows a fixed schedule for replacing water in the drinking bowls; it is religiously replaced at 8:00am, 11:00am, 3:00pm, 5:00pm and 9:00pm, he explains. But,unfortunately, this is far from reality.
While the zoos mentioned above don’t seem to be concerned with animal welfare, the Lahore zoo, one of the largest zoos in South Asia, is taking necessary measures to provide for the animals in captivity. Home to 125 species, including rhinoceros, hippopotami and grizzly bears, the zoo ensures that its animals are healthy and well looked after. During summers, when dengue cases are on the rise, animal enclosures are cleaned twice a day, says director of the zoo, Shafqat Ali. “As the temperature rises, the zoo’s management places straw mats and coolers in the cages, especially for tigers,” says Uzma Khan, director of biodiversity at World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan).
The cost of captivity
While lack of drinking water and poor hygiene accounts for unresponsive animals, ill-treatment of animals in captivity, coupled with small and cramped enclosures, results in stress and display of abnormal behaviour, suggest studies. According to Uzma, however, it’s the quality of housing that matters most. “The enclosures are mostly barren. They lack an enriched environment that will help keep animals happy,” she adds. For instance, installing a single swing or placing a tree trunk in cages is not enough to help animals cope with captivity. “Authorities often disregard these as mere decorations,” says Uzma, adding that some caged animals also need partners.
Zoos in Pakistan not only lack proper management, they also lack individuals with a profound knowledge of animal behaviour. For instance, if one asks a caretaker why elephants sway their head from side to side while running, the reply would be a blank stare. Since elephants in the Lahore and Islamabad zoos are chained at night due to no supervision, it results in a display of aggressive behaviour where the animal tries to flee, explains Uzma.
Zoo inspection
While many may suggest that shutting down zoos is the only remaining option, it is important to note that the cost of rehoming the animals would be staggering. To improve conditions, therefore, WWF-Pakistan is actively involved in the zoo management committee set up in Lahore in 1923 and also helped set up one in Islamabad last year. The committee, which is a decision-making body, focuses on the exchange of ideas and sharing of information which is crucial to help rehabilitate captive animals. While the committee in Lahore is proactive, the one in Islamabad is dormant. Since there is still no operational committee in Karachi, the deplorable conditions in zoos is inevitable. On July 30, 2013, WWF-Pakistan even organised a workshop to support the formulation of a National Zoo Association in Pakistan where it was proposed that national zoos should collaborate more for the improvement of animal care in captivity and enhance the roles zoos play in conservation education in the country. It was attended by officials from the Lahore Zoo, Lahore Zoo Safari, Karachi Zoo and the Lamar Wildlife Park in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, but had little impact.
Although WWF-Pakistan has managed to improve facilities at the zoos in Lahore and Islamabad, to an extent, the Animal Rights for Pakistan, established in 2010, has achieved little success so far. “Poor conditions at the Karachi Zoo are of great concern, but all we can do is protest against it,” says Ahmed Khan, founder of the non-governmental organisation. Despite being in collaboration with the Sindh government, the NGO is not allowed to interfere in the zoo’s management and has therefore recently become inactive. Qadeess Qureshi, an animal education specialist and conservationist at the Wildlife Experience Centre, affiliated with the Sindh Wildlife Department, further adds that, “Even we are not allowed to look into matters once we have lodged a complaint with the Sindh Wildlife Department.” Crocodiles and vultures are becoming extinct in Karachi, owing to unsanitary conditions, she adds.
Since managing a zoo is a difficult task, perhaps, we too can play a role in maintaining superior animal welfare standards. To begin, one can visit zoos more often and even devote some time to volunteering there.
Conservation-conscious zoos should have most of the following things:
A permanent site
Supportive environment for animals
Management for the greater good of the community
Adequate finance
Record keeping
Priority of kind treatment of animals
Meet legal requirements
Trained and interested staff
Clean and safe enclosures, pens, yards and spacious, naturalistic enclosures
A small number of mated species
Fresh, nutritious food and clean water
Healthy animals
Healthy staff
Veterinarians according to the number of animals
Good educational signage
An education programme
A conservation programme
A breeding strategy for all animals
A mission statement
A master plan for development
Conservation as its highest value
Be conservation-conscious
As a regular zoo visitor you can help by obeying the zoo’s rules.
Keep the zoo clean; put trash in bins.
Keep the zoo safe; don’t sneak in food, plastic bags, etcetera to give to animals or throw in enclosures.
Keep animals safe: don’t tease or feed animals or run in front of cages or make loud noises. Watch them respectfully.
Keep zoo property presentable — don’t deface signs or buildings or damage anything.
Report faulty taps which are wasting water; turn off water in zoo toilets when you use them.
Never offer zookeepers money to give you special privileges or animal products.
Treat the zoo as if you had to live there. As a public zoo, it is yours too.
Source: Zoo Outreach Organisation
Nisma Chauhan is a subeditor at The Express Tribune Magazine desk. She tweets @ChauhanNisma
Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, April 19th, 2015.
Zoos have existed throughout history because people like to look at animals. But take a trip to the Karachi zoo or the one in Islamabad and you can see unhealthy animals, some nervous or frightened and others simply lying listless on the concrete cage floors.
Their water troughs are empty and their cages are unsanitary, smelly and often littered with spoiled food. The duck ponds have putrid, green water and floating plastic bottles. As a result, fewer people visit zoos today and the administration continues to neglect and ill-treat the animals.
In Karachi, the Zoological Garden in Saddar, famously known as Gandhi Garden, and the Safari Park Zoo are both looked after by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC). The authority is responsible for providing a supportive environment for animals, proper living conditions, clean food and water and sufficient veterinary staff to attend to a large number of animals. However, the governing body has been ineffective in providing the most basic care which has resulted in several fatalities over the years, and the deaths are attributed to either ‘old age or diseases’. “There is no apparent reason for death,” says Faheem Khan, the director at Gandhi Garden. “Death is a natural thing, hence, animals die when their time comes,” he adds. According to the zoo’s director, under his authority visitors will never come across an empty water trough or pond and a large block of ice is placed in cages for the big cats during summer. But a recent visit to the zoo revealed no block of ice and the lions, tigers and pumas lay in their small enclosures, staring blankly at visitors. Even the chimpanzees, known for their mischievous ways, sat in their cages motionless due to excessive heat. As a result, the zoo even lost Raju, a 23-year-old lion, in February this year.
An elephant in Islamabad’s Marghazar Zoo is chained at night due to a shortage of supervision staff. PHOTO CREDIT: HUMA CHOUDHARY
A lioness at the Karachi Zoo lays listless in her barren enclosure. PHOTO CREDIT: ARIF SOOMRO
Dr Kazim Hussain, KMC’s additional director at Safari Park Zoo and a senior vet at the two zoos in Karachi, claims that drinking water in the bowls and troughs is replaced twice a day, depending on the animal’s habitat. “Clean water is provided and animals are given a bath, depending on how frequently they need it,” he adds. But 27-year-old Shahid, a coach driver who gives visitors a 15-minute tour of Safari Park, confesses that this is hardly the case. Many cages have empty drinking bowls, he reveals. “Even if water is provided, it is sourced from the polluted swan lake,” he adds. Not only are animals deprived of clean drinking water but many are exposed to direct sunlight due to few trees and no shelter. If this isn’t cruel enough, many injured animals are left untreated and succumb to infection from open wounds, he shares.
A lion at Gandhi Garden in Karachi takes a nap in its enclosure. PHOTO CREDIT: ARIF SOOMRO
An empty pond at Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad puts lives of the ducks at stake. PHOTO CREDIT: HUMA CHOUDHARY
Conditions at Islamabad’s Marghazar Zoo, which contains 59 animal species, of which 44 are bird species, are no different. Established by the Capital Development Authority, the zoo has fallen prey to poor management and an indifferent attitude towards animal cruelty. Despite a number of deaths, mostly owing to mysterious diseases, little has been done to bring about a change. But according to Dr Bilal, a senior vet at the zoo, drinking water for animals is obtained from the zoo’s own tube well, which is tested for bacteria. And water for cleaning purposes is sourced from the Simly Dam, he says. The zoo also follows a fixed schedule for replacing water in the drinking bowls; it is religiously replaced at 8:00am, 11:00am, 3:00pm, 5:00pm and 9:00pm, he explains. But,unfortunately, this is far from reality.
While the zoos mentioned above don’t seem to be concerned with animal welfare, the Lahore zoo, one of the largest zoos in South Asia, is taking necessary measures to provide for the animals in captivity. Home to 125 species, including rhinoceros, hippopotami and grizzly bears, the zoo ensures that its animals are healthy and well looked after. During summers, when dengue cases are on the rise, animal enclosures are cleaned twice a day, says director of the zoo, Shafqat Ali. “As the temperature rises, the zoo’s management places straw mats and coolers in the cages, especially for tigers,” says Uzma Khan, director of biodiversity at World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan).
The cost of captivity
While lack of drinking water and poor hygiene accounts for unresponsive animals, ill-treatment of animals in captivity, coupled with small and cramped enclosures, results in stress and display of abnormal behaviour, suggest studies. According to Uzma, however, it’s the quality of housing that matters most. “The enclosures are mostly barren. They lack an enriched environment that will help keep animals happy,” she adds. For instance, installing a single swing or placing a tree trunk in cages is not enough to help animals cope with captivity. “Authorities often disregard these as mere decorations,” says Uzma, adding that some caged animals also need partners.
Turtles in Marghazar Zoo are hard to spot in the polluted water. PHOTO CREDIT: HUMA CHOUDHARY
A bear enjoying a dip at the Lahore Zoo. PHOTO CREDIT: SHAFIQ MALIK
Zoos in Pakistan not only lack proper management, they also lack individuals with a profound knowledge of animal behaviour. For instance, if one asks a caretaker why elephants sway their head from side to side while running, the reply would be a blank stare. Since elephants in the Lahore and Islamabad zoos are chained at night due to no supervision, it results in a display of aggressive behaviour where the animal tries to flee, explains Uzma.
Zoo inspection
While many may suggest that shutting down zoos is the only remaining option, it is important to note that the cost of rehoming the animals would be staggering. To improve conditions, therefore, WWF-Pakistan is actively involved in the zoo management committee set up in Lahore in 1923 and also helped set up one in Islamabad last year. The committee, which is a decision-making body, focuses on the exchange of ideas and sharing of information which is crucial to help rehabilitate captive animals. While the committee in Lahore is proactive, the one in Islamabad is dormant. Since there is still no operational committee in Karachi, the deplorable conditions in zoos is inevitable. On July 30, 2013, WWF-Pakistan even organised a workshop to support the formulation of a National Zoo Association in Pakistan where it was proposed that national zoos should collaborate more for the improvement of animal care in captivity and enhance the roles zoos play in conservation education in the country. It was attended by officials from the Lahore Zoo, Lahore Zoo Safari, Karachi Zoo and the Lamar Wildlife Park in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, but had little impact.
One of South Asia’s largest zoos, the Lahore Zoo is relatively more concerned about animal welfare. PHOTO CREDIT: SHAFIQ MALIK
Although WWF-Pakistan has managed to improve facilities at the zoos in Lahore and Islamabad, to an extent, the Animal Rights for Pakistan, established in 2010, has achieved little success so far. “Poor conditions at the Karachi Zoo are of great concern, but all we can do is protest against it,” says Ahmed Khan, founder of the non-governmental organisation. Despite being in collaboration with the Sindh government, the NGO is not allowed to interfere in the zoo’s management and has therefore recently become inactive. Qadeess Qureshi, an animal education specialist and conservationist at the Wildlife Experience Centre, affiliated with the Sindh Wildlife Department, further adds that, “Even we are not allowed to look into matters once we have lodged a complaint with the Sindh Wildlife Department.” Crocodiles and vultures are becoming extinct in Karachi, owing to unsanitary conditions, she adds.
Since managing a zoo is a difficult task, perhaps, we too can play a role in maintaining superior animal welfare standards. To begin, one can visit zoos more often and even devote some time to volunteering there.
Conservation-conscious zoos should have most of the following things:
A permanent site
Supportive environment for animals
Management for the greater good of the community
Adequate finance
Record keeping
Priority of kind treatment of animals
Meet legal requirements
Trained and interested staff
Clean and safe enclosures, pens, yards and spacious, naturalistic enclosures
A small number of mated species
Fresh, nutritious food and clean water
Healthy animals
Healthy staff
Veterinarians according to the number of animals
Good educational signage
An education programme
A conservation programme
A breeding strategy for all animals
A mission statement
A master plan for development
Conservation as its highest value
Be conservation-conscious
As a regular zoo visitor you can help by obeying the zoo’s rules.
Keep the zoo clean; put trash in bins.
Keep the zoo safe; don’t sneak in food, plastic bags, etcetera to give to animals or throw in enclosures.
Keep animals safe: don’t tease or feed animals or run in front of cages or make loud noises. Watch them respectfully.
Keep zoo property presentable — don’t deface signs or buildings or damage anything.
Report faulty taps which are wasting water; turn off water in zoo toilets when you use them.
Never offer zookeepers money to give you special privileges or animal products.
Treat the zoo as if you had to live there. As a public zoo, it is yours too.
Source: Zoo Outreach Organisation
Nisma Chauhan is a subeditor at The Express Tribune Magazine desk. She tweets @ChauhanNisma
Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, April 19th, 2015.