• Experts had recommended relocation one year ago
• Four Paws’ team examines ailing Noor Jehan

KARACHI: The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has finally decided to relocate two elephants — Noor Jehan and Madhubala — from Karachi Zoological Gardens to sprawling Safari Park within one month.

On Tuesday, the KMC extended full support to the international animal welfare group, Four Paws, currently engaged in efforts to save Noor Jehan’s life at the zoo.

“We are with Four Paws. All departments are ready to arrange any logistics needed for medical procedures. We are also making preparations to shift both zoo elephants to Safari Park within a month as per experts’ recommendation,” Karachi Administrator Dr Saif-ur-Rehman said, while speaking to journalists at the zoo following his interaction with experts.

He praised the Four Paws’ team and said after carrying out several animal welfare and rescue missions in different parts of the world it came here to help save Noor Jehan’s life.

The ailing elephant, he added, had been suffering from some neurological deficiencies for the past two to three months that had severely affected her hind legs.

“The kind of treatment Noor Jehan requires isn’t available in Pakistan. So, we approached the international group to help us diagnose her illness and suggest and offer treatment, if possible,” he said.

On behalf of the government, the administrator offered complete support to the team for Noor Jehan’s medical assessment and treatment.

It might be recalled that the Four Paws had recommended in its report over a year ago that zoo elephants should be shifted to the Safari Park that also houses two more elephants.

The latter facility with reduced noise pollution was more appropriate for the species that should live in a herd, according to their natural environment, experts had stated.

‘Giving best chance for life’

Representing the global animal welfare group, Dr Amir Khalil emphasised the need for joint efforts to save Noor Jehan’s life.

“Right now, Noor Jehan is alive. What happened in the past isn’t important. But, what’s important now is to focus on giving her the best chance for life,” he said.

Asked about her disease, Dr Khalil explained that only a detailed medical assessment, which included an endoscopy, ultrasounds and X-rays, could help make the diagnosis.

He said: “We don’t know what went wrong with her. But, her condition has deteriorated very fast within a few weeks. She got swelling on her hind legs as well as genital parts and she could barely walk. Right now, she has a 50-50 chance for survival.

“In our assessment, our biggest concern would be not to let the animal fall after being administered anaesthesia without which one couldn’t carry out tests,” Dr Khalil explained, adding that the elephant weighing around three and a half tonnes wouldn’t be able to stand again if she fell on the ground.

A crane would be arranged to keep the sedated animal standing during the procedure, he added.

The Four Paws’ team is on its fourth visit to the Karachi zoo. In August last year, it performed major tusk surgeries on Noor Jehan and Madhubala, the other female elephant.

In 2021, the team submitted a report to the Sindh High Court, recommending a series of steps on elephants’ welfare, which was approached by a group of citizens worried over animal plight.

The team strongly suggested shifting the zoo elephants to Safari Park, also housing two female elephants, on grounds that the latter facility had reduced noise pollution and provided a better species-specific environment.

Both Noor Jehan and Madhubala, along with two other Safari elephants, were caught and separated from their mothers at a very young age in Tanzania in 2010 and brought to Karachi under a controversial agreement.

Published in Dawn, April 5rd, 2023