09 February 2004	Monday	17 Zilhaj 1424

KARACHI, Feb 8: Long queues of children were seen on Sunday afternoon at the stairs of a platform from where they could board on Anarkali, an elephant in the Karachi Zoological Gardens.

The children waited patiently on the stairs before they could get a chance to take a brief royal ride on Anarkali. About a 200-yard ride hardly takes a few minutes to complete, but children usually have to wait for their turns for nearly half an hour. They wave to people standing on the ground and enjoy themselves. Many of them take rides repeatedly.

A few rashes and light bruises were visible on the hips and elbows of the elephant. She was walking, with the load of children, easily and normally.

The Asian elephant, along with her herd, strayed away, crossed over the Burmese border and entered the then East Pakistan in the early 1950s. A team of experts was sent there and they captured a few elephants - one of them was brought to the city zoo and named Anarkali. Since then she has been providing entertainment and royal rides to youngsters visiting the zoo.

Though her exact age is not known, Anarkali could safely be in her 70s. She is now the oldest animal in the zoo.

According to the zoo's in-house zoologist, Abida Raees, Anarkali's daily diet comprises 150 kilograms of fodder, 30 kilograms of dry grass, 50 kilograms of sugarcane and six kilograms of rice. "She is taking all her normal food and is not sick."

The zoologist said that because of her advanced age, Anarkali needed to get exercise and was taken out daily for a walk in the afternoon, during which children could also take rides. "On Sundays and holidays she is taken out twice - both in the morning and in the afternoon."

Dr Amir Ismail of the zoo said the rashes, light bruises and rub marks on Anarkali's legs were due to sitting and walking motions, as she was heavy, otherwise there was nothing wrong with her and she was walking normally.

Responding to Dawn queries, Dr Syed Kazim Hussain, in charge of the zoo, said Nazim Naimatullah Khan, who was approached by an NGO, had also asked about Anarkali's health. He said that the Nazim was informed that Anarkali did not have any wound or injury that could be termed as serious or non-healing.

He said the normal life span of an elephant was between 60 and 70 years and Anarkali had lived longer than that. "She is being provided with the required food and exercise to keep her in good shape," he said.