Ailing elephant at Karachi Zoo dies despite best efforts by international vets

Noor Jehan, a 17-year-old African elephant, sadly passed away on Saturday (22) at a zoo in Karachi, Pakistan, despite the tireless efforts of international veterinarians who had been working to save her life. Prior to her passing, the elephant had been suffering from a fever for several days.

According to Karachi Administrator Saif Ur Rehman, every possible measure was taken to try and save her life. Noor Jehan had been receiving medical treatment under the supervision of top-notch experts, including professionals from the international animal welfare organisation Four Paws, who had travelled to Karachi specifically to aid in her care.

Kanwar Ayub, the Director of the Karachi Zoo, said the elephant Noor Jehan passed away at 11:15 am due to poor health that had been ongoing since November 2022.

Animal rights activist Mahera Omar, who had been working closely with the veterinary team attending to the elephant, expressed her condolences and said that Noor Jehan could now rest in peace.

Commenting on Noor Jehan's unfortunate passing Four Paws stated that her story was a stark reminder of the immense suffering that captive wild animals endure not just in Pakistan, but all over the world.

According to the Dawn newspaper, the organisation urged the authorities in Pakistan to use Noor Jehan's case as a lesson and take better care of captive wild animals in the future.

After an unfortunate fall, a team of local veterinarians had been working remotely alongside Four Paws to closely monitor the health of the ailing elephant.

When the elephant's condition worsened over several months, Karachi Zoo officials issued an SOS, and the Four Paws team arrived to provide assistance.

During their visit earlier this month, foreign experts detected a large hematoma in Noor Jehan's abdomen and found that her perineal membrane had ruptured. The elephant's condition improved after receiving treatment from these experts.

Unfortunately, Pakistan's zoos have long been accused of disregarding animal welfare. In 2020, a court in Islamabad ordered the closure of a zoo due to its deplorable conditions, highlighting the ongoing issues in the country's captive animal facilities.

(With inputs from PTI)