Visitors disappointed as zoo keeps Bengal Tigers out of view

The Karachi zoo was abuzz with energy on Sunday as thousands of people gathered there, eager to catch a glimpse of two of its newest guests – a pair of Bengal Tigers which had been imported all the way from Belgium. However, much to the chagrin of the visitors, the administrators had occluded the tigers’ cage by a tent.

The tigers are being kept temporarily at the zoo and will be permanent residents of Safari Park. The zoo’s director, Dr Kazim Hussain, tried to justify this move by saying, “The tigers arrived in the morning and they were agitated. We needed to keep the public away so that the animals could familiarise themselves with the new environment.”

The much anticipated white lions have also arrived in the city. One other reason that the tigers were not displayed is that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s administrator will unveil them along with the lions in a ceremony with heavy media coverage. “Hopefully, the administrator will be in the city and conduct a formal inauguration on Monday, after which we can allow the public to view the animals,” said Dr Hussain.

Not only was the presence of the tents an irritant for the visitors, but it also set the rumour mill in motion. Muhammad Shafeeq, who visited the zoo with his family, said he had no clue about what lay hidden behind the tent. “Only god knows why they are keeping this a secret. They must have been given orders by an official on a high post. There is so much politics in this country. I heard they got black tigers.” Another man standing near him said that white lions were in the enclosure while others speculated that a rare panther might be lurking just beyond sight.

The zoo draws between 25,000 and 30,000 visitors every Sunday. The number increased over the last year after the zoo’s former chief, Bashir Sadozai, ordered extensive renovations. However, some facilities are still missing and people don’t seem to know where the toilets are located. There is no proper system for families to find children who excitedly wander off and get lost in the crowd.

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Safari Park to get Bengal tiger, African lion

Puma's for the Safari Park were given temporary quarters at the Karachi Zoological Gardens

Four new animals — a hippopotamus, an African lion, a Bengal tiger and a white lion — will be arriving at the zoo within the next few months, but most of them will be moved to Safari Park once their enclosures are completed.

“We will be getting a white lion from France, a tiger and a hippopotamus from South Africa,” said Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Administrator Mohammad Hussain Syed while talking to the newsmen at the Karachi Zoological Garden. “Every few months you will be seeing an increase in animals in Karachi’s zoos.”

Half the year has already passed by. In March, the KMC had claimed that they will be getting 17 new species, making the total number of animals 48 by the end of this year. Two Pumas (Puma Concolor) from Canada are the latest acquisitions by the zoo. The pair of 4.5-year-old pumas cost Rs2.1 million. They were unveiled at a ceremony held at the zoo today. A competition will be held in schools across the city for naming the animals.

The former director of the zoological garden, Bashir Khan Saddozai, who is now the director of Safari Park, said that the park will get five animals this year for sure. “Except for the white lion, all of the animals, including the hippopotamus, bengal tiger, the pair of pumas and the African lion, will be moved to ‘cages’ in Safari Park.”

Generally “safari” denotes an area where animals can be observed in their natural habitat, or are at least free to roam about and visitors drive through. But Karachi’s Safari Park may stray from this definition.

“These animals are going to be in cages and the actual safari is a separate matter,” Saddozai said, when asked why the pumas, lions and tigers will all be in cages.

The KMC also said that an aviary will also be ready in Safari Park within three months.

In that aviary “the birds will have enough space to fly freely”.

The initial proposal for animals required at the zoo included  golden tabby tiger, white Bengal tiger, Bengal tiger, white lion, African lion, cheetah, black leopards, jaguars, white rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, giraffes, greater kudus, eland, gemsbok oryx, Asian black bears, zebras, ring-tailed lemurs, De Brazza’s monkeys and black crested mangabey at an estimated cost of Rs120 million.

But not all of them will be brought in this year. “It is hard to get so many animals because the cash flow and the budget is limited,” explained Saddozai.

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