ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) arranged a media tour to the now closed zoo in the capital to share work done and future plans since taking charge of the facility three years ago.

The zoo has been converted into a rescue centre which is now home to seven rescued black bears with significant space for them to roam in their enclosures.

The media tour came in the wake of plans by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to get back control of the Marghazar Zoo. The civic body maintains that it aimed to reopen the zoo after taking over its administrative control from the IWMB and extend educational and recreational opportunities to families, students and nature enthusiasts.

Three years ago, Islamabad High Court mandated the closure of Marghazar Zoo, following reported instances of cruel treatment towards caged animals. Marghazar Zoo’s prime attractions, Kaavan, the world’s loneliest elephant and the two brown bears had to be sent to sanctuaries in Sri Lanka and Jordan for better retired life.

Following court orders, IWMB had converted the zoo into a space for rescued and injured animals. It hoped to build a wildlife centre for rehabilitation of rescued animals and education purposes after it received long awaited funds from the government.

Nonetheless, IWMB Chairperson Rina Saeed Khan and representatives of a voluntary organisation, Second Chance, which is providing financial assistance for the care of the rescued animals, gave media members the tour. Last November, IWMB and Second Chance had signed an agreement to help endangered, injured and rescued animals such as dancing bears, monkeys, pangolins, foxes besides numerous species of birds.

The visit included a tour to the rehab enclosures of a rescued Bengal tiger, black bears, eagles and kites and monkeys. Ludo Van Vooren from Second Chance, who is volunteering to help the rescued animals, said, “Wildlife is not entertainment. Most important aspect is to rescue animals. We are also about spreading awareness about pangolins and not to feed monkeys and combating animal trafficking.”

He introduced media to Baboo, an illegally obtained Bengal tiger cub that was deficient in nutrients and had several broken bones when it was brought to the rehabilitation and rescue centre. The tiger was seven months old then. Now 14 months old, the rehabilitated Baboo has been nursed back to life when most vets had given up on it and recommended euthanasia.

The centre is now home to seven rescued black bears with significant space to roam in their enclosures.

Some of the rescued eagles and kites although now recovered might never be able to soar the skies. “A few of them will be released into the wild,” Vooren told media, describing the rescue centre as an emergency room for the wildlife.

“What we are doing is building capacity and isolating the rescue centre for proper care of traumatised bears, monkeys to mention some,” said Vooren, pointing to the space dedicated for the centre.

“We constantly have a rotation of animals. We consult animal advisers and experts in the animal world who help us with this centre and how best to run the facility. Everything from animal diet to how to set up cages and what should be the future of these animals is exchanged with international experts from South Africa, US, Europe and Australia, who take a lot interest to help wildlife in Pakistan,” Vooren said.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2024