Committee formed to probe tiger’s death at Karachi Zoo

The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) administrator, taking notice of the death of a golden tabby tiger, has formed an inquiry committee to ascertain the facts behind its death.

Officials said on Saturday that a letter sent by Jamil Farooqi, senior HR director at the KMC said the competent authority, i.e. the KMC administrator, had constituted a five-member committee to conduct an inquiry into the death of the tiger at the zoo, and told it to submit its report within 15 days.

The committee is headed by Rashid Nizam, director A&A KMC, and its members are Dr Farhan Issani, senior veterinary officer, livestock department, Government of Sindh, Dr Zulfiqar Odho, incharge RC Hospital, Government of Sindh, Dr Taj Muhammad, deputy director veterinary services, KMC, and Dr Muhammad Mansoor Qazi, former senior director zoo, Safari Recreation, KMC.

Officials, while sharing the initial findings over the death of the golden tabby tiger, said that in the year 2013, two golden tabby tigers were transported to Karachi from Lahore and were caged at the Safari Park; however, after just spending two days, one of the tigers died while the other was shifted to the Karachi Zoo by the administration. At that time, the director was also suspended over the incident.

They added that when the tigers were being shifted to Karachi they were in their younger age, and the maximum age of the golden tabby tiger is 20 to 25 years, and the one that died on March 2, 2023, was about 21 years old.

Officials said that after the death of the tiger at the Karachi Zoo the KMC administration and doctors and other senior doctors from different departments, including Dr Usman Pirzada, were called and they conducted an examination, including a postmortem on the tiger. The doctors’ panel in its initial findings revealed that the tiger died due to heart failure. However, to ascertain more facts behind the death of the tiger the KMC administrator has now formed a committee that will submits its report within 15 days.