LAHORE: The children of Lahore and those of adjacent cities may be able to feast their eyes on their favourite animal -- elephant -- at the zoo soon; the more interesting aspect of this is that the Lahore Zoo is making arrangements to have two African elephants instead of one.

“There was an ever-increasing public demand for an elephant at the zoo, especially the children were eager to see their favourite animal. So we are announcing that in three months we will have two elephants at the zoo” Lahore Zoo Director Hassan Ali Sukhera told Dawn.

He said that Suzi -- the last elephant the zoo had -- had died some three years ago, after spending 36 years here. Now after a gap of three years the zoo would have two female elephants aged between three to five years.

The director said that in a meeting of the Zoo Management Committee held in the first week of August this year, the contractor was told to complete the process for bringing elephants for the zoo and if he failed to do so in the next three months, his contract would be cancelled. “He is the same contractor who had provided Suzi to Lahore Zoo some three decades ago”, he added.

He said the zoo decided to get two female elephants because the males turn aggressive during the breeding season and become difficult to handle.

Mr Sukhera said the stuffed skeleton of Suzi, who had died on May 13, 2017, would be placed in front of the elephant area.

He also revealed that the zoo management has decided to ban the practice of offering money to the elephant by the visitors. “There shall be strict monitoring that no one from the public or zoo staff should offer money to the elephant and whoever would be found doing so would be heavily fined”.

He said special cameras had been installed in and around of elephant area to keep a watch on such activities. The zoo would also put on display signboards warning the visitors against offering money to the elephant or its caretaker, he added.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2019