Noor Jehan, a 17-year-old elephant residing at the Karachi Zoo, has been struggling with severe physical trauma for the past three months. Unfortunately, her condition recently worsened after she fell into a cemented pond inside her enclosure. The animal was stuck in the pond for hours before a crane was used to lift her up. Noor Jehan has already been an intensive care patient, with her muscle mass shrunk, her spine disfigured, and her legs crooked. According to the zoo officials, the elephant was stuck in the pond for hours before being lifted out with the help of a crane.
Veterinary team from Four Paws had recently visited the zoo to treat the elephant, but it appears that the zoo has failed to follow their directions. As a result, Noor Jehan’s condition has raised concerns regarding the management of the Karachi Zoo. Many people on social media are calling for zoos to be shut down, and animal welfare organizations are urging the zoo and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation to take action.
Who is Noor Jehan?
Noor Jehan is a 17-year-old elephant who has been living at the Karachi Zoo in Pakistan for several years. Over the past few months, the elephant has been suffering from severe physical trauma. Her muscle mass has shrunk, her spine appears disfigured, and her legs appear crooked.
Veterinary treatment
A group of vets from Four Paws, an international animal welfare organization, recently visited Karachi to treat Noor JehanDuring the Four Paws’ visit to the Karachi Zoo, they provided treatment to Noor Jehan using medicines and complex procedures. However, the team warned the zoo officials that the elephant needed intense aftercare. Despite these instructions, it appears that the zoo has failed to follow the measures provided. The animal was propped up against a mound of sand inside her enclosure, appearing almost lifeless. Her eyes were only half open with barely any movement. She looked as though she had given up.
Zoo’s failure to follow instructions
Despite the directions provided by the Four Paws team, it appears that the zoo has failed to follow the necessary measures to ensure Noor Jehan’s recovery. Noor Jehan, the 17-year-old elephant, has been propped up against a mound of sand inside her enclosure at the Karachi Zoo, looking almost lifeless. Her eyes were only half-open, and there was barely any movement. It appeared as though she had given up. The deteriorating health of the elephant has raised concerns about the management of the Karachi Zoo, with netizens calling out the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation. Animal welfare organizations have called for continued pressure on the zoo and KMC, saying that they need to know that the world is watching. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Strategic Reforms, Salman Sufi, has said that they are constantly in touch with the zoo administration, and they are working hard to enable the elephant to stand again.
International pressure
Noor Jehan’s deteriorating health has sparked concerns about the management of the Karachi Zoo. Animal welfare organizations and netizens are calling out the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, which oversees the zoo, for not providing adequate equipment and support. International organizations like Free The Wild Global are calling for continued pressure on the zoo and KMC, saying that they needed to know that the world was watching.
Symbolic of the collapse of our nation
The collapse of Noor Jehan is symbolic of the collapse of our nation, says Ayesha Chundrigar, who runs a non-profit animal welfare organization based in Karachi. Journalist Alia Chughtai stresses that Pakistan has time and again failed the vulnerable and asks who would be responsible for the mess zoos in Pakistan are in.
Closing zoos
Anika Saleem, the director of Free The Wild, believes that zoos are “evil torture chambers” and should immediately be closed. The recent incident with Noor Jehan has once again brought the debate about the ethics of zoos to the forefront.
Read also: Why are animal-to-human diseases on the rise?
The situation with Noor Jehan, the ailing 17-year-old elephant at the Karachi Zoo, highlights the need for better management of zoos in Pakistan. The failure of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation to provide adequate equipment and support for Noor Jehan’s recovery has raised concerns among animal welfare organizations and netizens. The incident has reignited the debate about the ethics of zoos and their role in modern society.
