ISLAMABAD Zoos are an attraction for families during Eid holidays, but Islamabad’s Marghazar Zoo will be a disappointment for its visitors, especially children. Despite several years, the zoo does not have a number of animals like leopards and snakes.

This year too the children of the twin cities would have to return home disappointed after not finding their favourite animals in the zoo.

“This is my last visit. I would never come here again. Do you call this a zoo where there are no lions and tigers,” said Maaz Ali, a class four student.

“We have also lost the last attraction of elephant ride at the zoo after the death of the female elephant,” another visitor, Summayya Janjua, said.

Mehran Khan, a frequent visitor to the zoo with his family, told this agency that zoos of Karachi and Lahore were better as they had all animals. “Unfortunately the zoo in the federal capital doesn't have many animals,” he added.

He said Marghazar Zoo authorities should bring lions, leopards and snakes to the zoo as these animals were an attraction for children.

The zoo in the federal capital is supposed to be a model for other cities in the country, Mr Khan added.

According to a CDA official, the zoo has not had a lion for the last decade after the last one died. Back in 2001, the zoo had a pair of lions and six cheetahs.

The pair of lions died and the CDA donated the cheetahs as it did not have facilities to house them, he said, adding that four were handed over to Loi Bher Jungle Park and the remaining two to Jungle Wood Park.

The official said the project of new Marghazar Zoo was under progress and it would have all facilities and animals that are missing at the moment.

He said under the project, the CDA plans to bring three lions and a pair of leopards.

Besides, a security system would be installed at the zoo including walkthrough gates and security cameras. Under the project, repair work would be carried out on the bear and crocodile enclosures, tubewell, water tank and retaining wall of F-8 enclosure.

The CDA spokesman, Ramzan Sajid, said the ongoing zoo expansion project consisted of all features that would make it a state-of-the-art zoo. — APP