KARACHI, Oct 4: For the first time in the history of Karachi, the World Animal Welfare Day was celebrated under the aegis of the city government. The day is observed internationally to highlight the perils and dangers faced by wild animals due to hunting and poaching leading to the threat of their extinction.

In Pakistan, the numbers of all types of wild animals have reduced to a very low level; to a level where many species will go extinct by the middle of the century, experts fear.

They have cited blue peacocks, partridges, pheasants leopards, the markhors and the snow leopard as a few of them.

Experts point out that one of the most peaceful crocodile family known as Gavial was wiped out from the wild.

The Social Welfare and Community Development Department of the city government was host to the visit of special children to the Safari Park where they were showed various species of wild animals.

Speaking then, Rehana Saif, EDO Community Development Department, city government said work on installation of chairlifts at the Park had started and citizens and people of interior Sindh would soon be able to have joy rides.

She pointed out that the Park had been segregated from the Zoo department administratively and financially, and because of its special significance, the city government had appointed a District Officer, Tariq Naseer, as its in-charge so that the Park could be developed into Pakistan’s biggest wildlife park.

Ms Rehana noted that DO Tariq Naseer and Deputy DO Dr Kazim Ali had made untiring efforts for introducing new facilities in the park and its condition had improved just within two months.

She informed that besides a long jogging track in the Park, new animals would also be added to it very soon, and efforts would be made to acquire local wild animals from the Wildlife Department of Sindh government.

The founder of Safari Park and first Director of Karachi Zoo Dr A.A. Qureshi congratulated Tariq Naseer and his team for organising the function for the first time.

Dr Qureshi said that importance of Zoo and Safari Parks had grown manifold because of dangers faced by wildlife world over.—APP