LAHORE: Twelve giraffes recently imported from South Africa have completed their quarantine period of 30 days at the Lahore Zoo Safari, officials in Punjab Wildlife and Parks Department told Dawn.

To this question that out of 12 giraffes three were to be housed in Lahore Zoo and nine at Lahore Zoo Safari, the sources said the department was yet to decide about shifting the giraffes to Lahore Zoo because transportation of such a big animal was a technical and a risky task.

It may be mentioned that during the previous years, many giraffes died at Lahore Zoo due to one reason or another. Many experts in the wildlife department think that it would be better to keep the giraffes at the Safari for it’s a big and open space.

It is pertinent to mention here that Lahore Zoo hasn’t proved itself a place that could house giraffes properly because a number of giraffes died at Lahore Zoo during the previous years. From 2008 to 2018 six giraffes died at Lahore Zoo for one reason or another. Two out of three giraffes imported in June 2017 had also died at Lahore Zoo. In February 2022, another giraffe died at Lahore Zoo. So the track record of Lahore Zoo when it comes to the welfare of giraffes is not that rosy. A giraffe is a costly animal and it should be kept in the open and big space such as the Zoo Safari for its better upkeep. Moreover, the welfare of animals should be at the top most priority.

The sources in the wildlife department told Dawn that a meeting of wildlife high officials would be held soon in which would decide that when three giraffes brought for the Lahore Zoo would be shifted to the zoo. The meeting would also decide that from where the experts would be arranged under whose guidance these giraffes would be shifted to the Lahore Zoo.

Giraffe, like, hippopotamus, lions and monkeys, is a popular animal among the children and they would love to see it back at Lahore Zoo. Nevertheless, looking at the previous record of the Lahore Zoo when it comes to the welfare of giraffes, the wildlife department should be extra cautious.

Keeping the imported animals in quarantine for a specific period is a wildlife department’s protocol.

As per the department officials, the giraffes were imported on Sept 9 and their quarantine period was likely to end by Oct 9.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2025