Inquiry committee on golden tabby tiger death reconstituted

The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) administrator on Monday reconstituted the inquiry committee on the recent death of a golden tabby tiger at the Karachi Zoo after two of the members excused themselves.

Officials said that on Friday the administrator had formed the five-member body headed by A&A Director Rashid Nizam, but he and another member, Dr Muhammad Manzoor Qazi, former zoo senior director, safari recreation, excused themselves due to personal reasons.

The administrator then reconstituted the committee and directed them to submit a report to his office within 15 days, according to the letter issued by HR Senior Director Jamil Farooqi. The investigation team will be headed by C&S Senior Director Saif Abbas Hasani.

The other members are Dow University Animal House Incharge Dr Zameer Khanzada, Sindh Livestock Department Senior Veterinary Officer Dr Farhan Issani, RC Hospital Incharge Dr Zulfiqar Odho and KMC Veterinary Services Deputy Director Dr Taj Muhammad.

The committee will examine the causes of the tiger’s death, fix responsibility under the relevant rules and suggest ways to prevent such deaths in future. The body will also co-opt a member from the wildlife department for better inquiry.

Taking notice of the animal’s death, the administrator had earlier constituted an investigation team headed by Nizam, with Dr Issani, Dr Odho, Dr Taj Muhammad and Dr Qazi as members.

The officials said that in 2013 two golden tabby tigers had been brought from Lahore to Karachi and kept at the Safari Park, but one of them died two days later and the other was shifted to the Karachi Zoo by the then administration. The zoo director had been suspended at that time over the incident.

They said that when the tigers were being shifted to Karachi, they were young. They also said that the maximum age of a golden tabby tiger is 20-25 years, adding that the one that died on Thursday was around 21 years old.

Officials said that after the tiger’s death, KMC doctors and other senior doctors from different departments, including Dr Usman Pirzada, examined the animal. According to their initial findings, the tiger had died due to heart failure.

However, to ascertain more facts about the death of the tiger to make a definite assessment, the KMC administrator has formed an investigation team that will submits its report to him within 15 days.