KARACHI, Oct 6: The City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, on Wednesday inaugurated a newly constructed museum at the Karachi Zoo. Models of species of parrots, leopard, snakes and other animals and birds of South America , Indonesia and other countries have been put on display at the museum.

The nazim also inaugurated a Zoo Management Workshop being organised by the city government in collaboration with the South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation.

The workshop for field techniques for small mammals, being participated by experts and students from Pakistan, India, Britain and other countries would continue till October 8.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the workshop, Naimat said that for the first time in Pakistan, a workshop to exchange information and techniques on small mammals was being organised in Karachi. He felt a need for institutions, where training and knowledge about zoos could be imparted.

He asked foreign experts to visit Safari Park and suggest recommendations for its improvement. Naimat said animals had equal rights to live in this world, deploring that some people killed animals to show off their power and for self-satisfaction. " This is a matter of concern for people of the world."

He noted that through such workshops by experts, better results could be achieved. He thanked the Director and Patron, South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation, Sally Wakers, for arranging the workshop at the Karachi Zoo, and assured of the city government's help to scientists working for improvement of the environment.

He noted that management was a technical subject, but said there was no institute in Pakistan, where it was taught, and urged for establishing such an institution. Naimat also urged the participants to involve themselves seriously in the workshop to acquire information.

Mr Walker said it was a matter of pride for him to arrange such a workshop in Karachi, adding that it was his foremost priority to train people associated with the Karachi Zoo.

"People have no good knowledge about animals and small mammals and this workshop will prove beneficial for zoo keepers," he added. Mick Gordon, Mansoor Qazi, Qazi Saddaruddin, Dr Fayyaz Alam and others also spoke. - PPI