KARACHI: Madhubala’s big day has finally come. The lonely 17-year-old African elephant is all set to be reunited with her sisters — Malika and Sonia — at Safari Park on Tuesday (today) after 15 years under the supervision of experts of Four Paws (FP) and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).

According to officials, the relocation — a unique and sensitive operation taking place for the first time in Pakistan — marks a significant moment as Madhubala will be the second and last elephant in the country getting freedom from zoo’s captivity. The first one was Kavaan, housed at the Islamabad zoo and later shifted to a sanctuary in Cambodia in 2020.

Living in solitary confinement for more than a year since the tragic death of her long-time partner Noor Jehan, Madhubala received her last lessons on crate training — the exercise of making her step willingly into a large metal transport container that would be loaded on a truck — on Monday. The experts have already declared her fit for the relocation.

“We can’t wait to finally see them reunited in their new home. Such a big day for Madhubala tomorrow (Tuesday) but I could see in her eyes that she is ready,” shared Pia Einheimler, who is associated with FP as its field mission coordinator.

Four Paws will relocate zoo elephant to the sanctuary today

“Malika and Sonia don’t know yet what a nice surprise awaits them. The sisters will finally be together after 15 years,” she added.

Explaining the nature of the relocation process, Dr Amir Khalil, who is leading the FP’s team, said they were taking care of all technical details to ensure that the transportation was risk and stress-free for Madhubala.

“She will receive tranquiliser before the transport to ensure a smooth relocation process. Animals cannot be sedated during transport as this could risk their health and well-being. We have pre-planned some stops to monitor Madhubala’s well-being during the transport,” he said.

It might be recalled that Madhubala along with her three sisters were separated from their herd and brought to Karachi as calves in 2009. Their plight in captivity forced activists to file a case in the high court in 2020, which led to the intervention of international veterinary experts in their welfare.

While the fight for their well-being continued and the experts called for providing species appropriate environment to the animals, Noor Jehan met a tragic death in 2023, leaving Madhubala alone.

Since then, plans were announced several times for her relocation but none could be materialised. The KMC finally signed an agreement with FP on Madhubala’s relocation with her sisters this year in Feb.

“This reunion is a result of collective effort. I am feeling excited yet nervous for the reunion. I pray everything goes well, and Madhubala, Sonia and Malika thrive together for the rest of their lives,” said Owais, Awan, one of the co-petitioners in elephants’ case and legal consultant of FP.

Mahera Omar, animal rights activist and co-founder of PAWS who fought the legal battle with Mr Awan, called upon the KMC to look into the plight of other zoo animals, especially Rano, the Himalayan brown bear.

“While we are happy to see the reunion and the development of a sanctuary, it’s high time that the KMC look into the welfare of other animals at the zoo,” she said, adding that Rano didn’t belong to the region’s harsh weather and should be shifted to the bear sanctuary in Balkasar, Chakwal district in Punjab.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2024