March 23, 2007	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 3, 1428

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

LAHORE, March 12: In order to determine whether the staff having direct contact with TB-stricken animals at the Lahore Zoo is safe or not, the administration will carry out TB tests of all those concerned.

Sources in the Punjab Wildlife Department told Dawn on Thursday that the tests would be conducted in parts on the request of the health facility.

In another development, the wildlife secretary has directed the authorities concerned to contact wildlife experts in Bangladesh for the import of two trios of Bengal tigers for the improvement in genetics of the Lahore Zoo tigers and for controlling diseases breaking out of massive in-breeding.

In-breeding, according to wildlife experts, has been one of the vital issues concerning the Lahore Zoo tigers. They said with the arrival of new blood among tigers a number of bacterial and other diseases such as blood parasite problem that had occurred last year too could be controlled.

Sources said the TB tests of the zoo staff, primarily keepers and sweepers, would be done in parts because Gulab Devi Hospital where these tests would be carried out had requested the zoo administration to send people in groups of five or six as they were already overburdened with TB tests. The Zoo would carry out TB tests of around 50 staffers.

Sources told Dawn that in view of the pressure to improve things at the zoo, its deputy director Dr Saleem Nasir (who is also as a vet) had got himself transferred to the environment department in Islamabad. “The doctor was under immense pressure after the incident of tiger’s death at the zoo and spread of TB among animals.”

Now the Zoo had one assistant vet, Shakeel, and a lady vet who was on a daily wages, they said.

Sources said in response to a news item that appeared in Dawn a few days ago, the Punjab wildlife secretary’s office issued a directive to create five new posts of vets in BPS-17 and five posts of veterinary assistants in BPS-9. Two posts for lab technicians had also been created to look after the diagnostic lab that would be established at the zoo on a priority.

The order included screening of all animals and birds for TB with latest techniques. The zoo staff, too, would undergo the screening process.

Zoo consultant Dr Masoodul Haq has been advised to visit the facility twice a week and the staff concerned to keep an eye on two cubs which had been tested positive for the blood disease.