PESHAWAR: A three-year-old giraffe died at the Peshawar Zoo on Sunday apparently due to a viral disease, an official said.

Zoo’s director Iftikhar Zaman said that diarrhea might be the main cause of the animal’s death. He said that autopsy report would determine reasons for the death of giraffe. He said the animal suddenly fell ill and veterinarians provided treatment, but it could not survive.

A total of 22 giraffes were imported from South Africa to Pakistan in 2018 and five of them were brought to Peshawar Zoo. Giraffes kept in Karachi, Lahore and private zoos had died, but the animals in Peshawar Zoo survived.

Peshawar Zoo was opened for general public in February 2018. Several exotic animals and birds have so far died in the zoo.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2020