Noor Jehan operated on successfully but road to recovery is long

A Four Paws team successfully operated on the elephant Noor Jehan at the Karachi Zoo on Wednesday. They also did her blood tests, X-rays and ultrasound, diagnosing her with haematoma.

A press statement issued by the organisation said that with the support of the zoo caretakers, they used ropes and a crane to get Noor Jehan in the right position, then sedated her to perform the planned assessment.

However, after being sedated, the elephant could not stand on her own feet, even with the help of the crane. The vets then gave her the prepared antidotes to reverse the sedation. Fortunately, they were still able to carry on with the examination, starting with the thermal infrared camera that showed no broken bones, but the ultrasound showed the cause of her severe condition.

“We could detect an inner haematoma with a damaged pelvic diaphragm. These findings showed clearly that a trauma must have happened, which has caused her painful health condition and also explains her unusual body position. The haematoma compresses the urethra and disturbs urination, influencing the kidney function,” reads the statement.

Moreover, there is a lot of gas in the intestines due to long-term immobilisation, and due to the unusual posture of the body, the ligaments of her hind legs have shortened and the muscles atrophied.

Four Paws believes she needs a lot of movement to reactivate and retrain the muscles, which will also improve gastrointestinal mobility. A special diet is required to reduce the gas. The experts have carried out laboratory and histology tests, treated the open wounds, administered medications, vitamins and painkillers, and conducted hydrotherapy.

Next they will prepare special recommendations, including medical treatment as well as enrichment in the enclosure, which would help in relieving the pain and in the recovery. Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori and Karachi Administrator Dr Syed Saifur Rahman were also present with the team during the elephant’s operation. Tessori said that a veterinary hospital and modern laboratory would be established at the zoo so that timely medical facilities could be provided to the animals.

He commended the team for working with the utmost diligence and hard work. Taking notice of the absence of the senior director zoo, he ordered the city administrator to take action against him.

The governor said that a team of international experts is present at the zoo, so the irresponsible behaviour of the senior director zoo is very regrettable. He also said that millions of tonnes of waste is being dumped in the sea, causing danger to marine life. He vowed that necessary steps would be taken to save marine life. He pointed out that the sea can become a major source of income for Karachi.

Tessori said that necessary measures would be taken for the improvement of the Karachi Zoo. He stressed that if he needed to spend money from his own pocket, he would do so. The administrator also thanked Four Paws for coming to Karachi to treat the elephant. The organisation’s Dr Amir Khalil and Dr Maria also spoke to the media on the occasion.