KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and other respondents on a petition seeking shifting of a female Himalayan bear from Karachi Zoological Gardens to a sanctuary.
A two-judge SHC bench headed by Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro directed the senior zoo director and Sindh Council for Conservation of Wildlife (SCCW) secretary to appear in court on Oct 14 with a report about the health of brown bear Rano and whether the animal is classified as an endangered species.
Animal rights activist Jude Allen Pereira petitioned the SHC and submitted that he approached the court in public interest to seek declaration of recognition of animal cruelty to the female brown bear, currently confined at Karachi Zoo in violation of relevant law.
Citing the KMC, through mayor, senior zoo director and SCCW secretary as respondents, the petitioner impugned non-implementation of recommendations made by a committee, constituted by the senior zoo director, which recommended relocation of Rano to the Balkasar Bear Sanctuary in Punjab till DNA sequencing is conducted to identify its exact species.
Himalayan or Syrian? — SHC seeks report on origin of female brown bear kept in Karachi Zoo
He said that the respondents claimed Rano to be a Syrian bear while he believed it might be a Himalayan bear, which is critically endangered species.
Petitioner’s counsel Muhammad Jibran Nasir argued that the committee had also recommended further shifting of the bear to an appropriate habitat upon confirmation of its exact species.
He also submitted that continued confinement of the female bear at the Karachi Zoo was illegal, unconstitutional and in violation of the Sindh Wildlife Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management Act, 2020 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1890 as well as against the recommendation of the committee.
After a preliminary hearing, the bench in its order said: “Issue notice to the respondents and the advocate general Sindh for 14.10.2025 on which date respondents No.2 and 3 shall appear in person with a report as to whether the bear ‘Rano’ is a Syrian or Himalayan bear as to whether or not it is classified as an endangered species or not and as to its general health.”
Mr Nasir also assured the bench that the petition would be amended within two days to make the province of Sindh as a respondent.
In the petition, the counsel maintained that Rano transferred from a breeding farm and research centre in March 2017 under an animal exchange programme has been held in solitary confinement for the past eight years within a small and barren concrete pit at the zoo.
He stated that the bear was deprived of species-specific environmental enrichment, suitable climatic conditions and necessary medical care appropriate while its physical and psychological health has visibly deteriorated as Rano exhibited documented symptoms of captivity-induced trauma, repetitive pacing, self-isolation and abnormal vocalisations indicating prolonged psychological distress and ongoing violations of applicable animal welfare standards.
Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2025
