Madhubala shifted from Karachi Zoo to Safari Park

The lone elephant kept at the Karachi Zoological Gardens, Madhubala, was shifted on Tuesday to the Safari Park, where she gets captive conditions more similar to her natural habitat and company of two animals from her species.

International animal welfare organisation, Four Paws, performed the cumbersome and lengthy operation to shift the elephant from one zoological facility to another within the city situated at a distance of around 12.5 kilometres.

Officials of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and Wildlife Department also supervised the operation. A heavy container and crane were used to shift the elephant from the Karachi Zoo to the Safari Park. The operation was completed in four hours via the Lyari Expressway, where traffic remained suspended during the transfer of the animal.

Special expertise and scientific knowledge were required to shift animals of massive size from one recreational place to another in the city. The services of the Four Paws were hired specially for the purpose.

A proper transfer route plan was adopted for the operation so that electricity wires and other infrastructure of the public utility services wouldn’t obstruct the shifting process that should be completed without any hindrance.

The Four Paws representatives told media persons that the shifting process was completed successfully and the animal after her transfer was in peace. They said the change of captive area was a good decision for the health and upkeep of the animal. Fruits were served to Madhubala on her arrival at the Safari Park. A swimming pool was especially readied for her at the Safari Park as part of her enclosure area.

Madhubala had been kept alone at the Karachi Zoo after the death of her old companion elephant Noor Jahan, which died last year. Both Noor Jahan and Madhubala were brought to the Karachi Zoo from Tanzania in 2010 at a young age.

After the death of Noor Jahan, the concerned animal experts advised shifting Madhubala to the Safari Park, where she would get the company of two animals.