KARACHI: Karachi Administrator Dr Syed Saifur Rahman held a farewell meeting with the Four Paws’ team on Friday at the Governor House.

The team arrived earlier this week on the request of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to provide medical assistance to ailing zoo elephant Noor Jehan. The animal was later diagnosed with a large hematoma in the abdomen.

“The administrator thanked the team for coming to Karachi in time and providing the much-needed assistance in diagnosing and treating elephant Noor Jehan,” said a spokesperson for the KMC.

The administrator also requested the team to continue their assistance, which they later accepted, he added.

The team was led by Dr Amir Khalil from Egypt. It also included Dr Marina Ivanova from Bulgaria, Dr Frank Göritz, Prof Thomas Hildebrandt, and Mathias Otto from Germany, Pia Einheimler from Austria, and press coordinator Sandra Hönisch from Germany.

Noor Jehan had been suffering from illness and pain for over three months, which rendered her weak and partially paralysed, forcing the authorities to seek help from the international animal welfare group.

The Four Paws’ team was on its fourth visit to Karachi Zoo. In August last year, it performed major tusk surgeries on Noor Jehan and Madhubala, the other female elephant at the zoo.

In 2021, the team had furnished a report before the Sindh High Court, which was approached by a group of citizens worried over plight of animals at the zoo, recommending a series of steps on elephants’ welfare.

The team strongly suggested shifting the zoo elephants to Safari Park, which also houses two female elephants, because the latter facility had reduced noise pollution and provided a better species-specific environment.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2023