• Bench seeks report on health and living conditions of all zoo animals
• Calls for abolition of zoos, keeping animals in natural habitats

KARACHI: The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation remained unable to shift the lone female bear Rano from the Karachi Zoological Gardens to a sanctuary in the federal capital within the stipulated period and informed the Sindh High Court that the relocation of Rano could take place after Nov 15.

KMC officials also submitted to a two-judge bench headed by Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro that they, in coordination with the wildlife department and others, were committed to executing the shifting of the brown bear after mid-November since a technical team of international animal welfare and rescue group was presently not available while enclosure/crate required for the transfer was also unavailable.

The bench directed the KMC to file a report about health and living conditions of all animals being kept at the Karachi zoo at the next hearing.

Expressing serious resentment over lack of sufficient staff and facilities at the zoo, the bench remarked that zoos should be abolished and animals be kept in natural habitats and asked the officials whether there was any concept of a national park as an alternative to zoological gardens.

The bench was hearing a petition filed for shifting of brown bear Rano. The petitioner also sought declaration of recognition of animal cruelty to the female bear, currently confined at Karachi Zoo.

On Sept 14, the SHC had ordered shifting of the bear from Karachi Zoo to the Bear Sanctuary, Islamabad Wildlife Management Board within two days.

When the petition came up for hearing on Friday, senior director zoo safari and recreation KMC Ikhlaq Ahmed Yousafzai filed a report in the compliance with the last order.

The report said that the KMC has sent letters to the Austria-based animal welfare and rescue group Four Paws International, Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) requesting for technical support, arrangements and air-cargo facilitation respectively.

It also maintained that the IWMB has confirmed its willingness to receive the bear at the Islamabad International Airport and sought details about the bear’s diet and medical history for appropriate care and the same was provided accordingly.

The report further stated that the PIA has acknowledged KMC’s request and outlined the operational requirements for live-animal airlift from Karachi to Islamabad under the relevant regulations including an approved crate, vet fitness and sedation certificate, clearances of Civil Aviation Authority, temperature-controlled handling and cost formalities.

The Four Paws has informed the KMC that its technical team was presently engaged in a large-scale animal-welfare mission in Argentina till Nov 15 and therefore proposed to conduct the bear’s relocation after Nov 15, it added.

“That KMC has no objection to this schedule as it aligns with professional animal welfare standards and ensures compliance with international transport regulations. During the intervening period, the bear shall remain under continuous care of Karachi zoo veterinary staff and the conservator, wildlife department, government of Sindh”, the report concluded.

Slamming the current treatment being meted out to the animals at the zoo, Justice Kalhoro remarked that it was not the issue of one animal, but many others were also being affected.

He also noted that it seemed very difficult for the authorities concerned to maintain the zoos here and the same should be abolished and animals be kept in natural habitats.

Justice Kalhoro further remarked that in his childhood, he saw animals were kept at zoos in bad condition and many animals were injured.

Representing the petitioner, Jibran Nasir submitted that the Karachi Zoo has only one veterinarian while the counsel for KMC maintained that no new appointments have been made since there was a ban on fresh recruitments.

Adjourning the hearing for two weeks, the bench directed the KMC to file a report about health and living conditions of all animals being kept at the zoo and also asked it to submit a report about the ban on recruitment.

Jude Allen Pereira petitioned the SHC and contended that he was an animal rights activist and approached the court in public interest to seeks 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 Karachi, senior director zoo KMC and others as respondents, the petitioner also maintained that Rano was transferred from a breeding farm & research centre of the city in March 2017 under an animal exchange programme and the female bear has been held in solitary confinement for the past eight years within a small and barren concrete pit at the Karachi Zoo.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2025