Death of third animal at Peshawar Zoo triggers concern

PESHAWAR: The death of the third animal in the recently established Peshawar Zoo has raised concern about the living conditions at the zoo and the ability of the staff working there.

Some observers commented that the enclosures in the zoo have become a death trap for the animals.

Though the Project Director Syed Muhammad Ali cited natural causes as the reason for the recent death of the snow leopard, there is speculation that the animal might have died due to the warming weather.

The big cat is a high altitude animal living in the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia at an elevation of 3,000 to 4,500 m (9,800 to 14,800 ft). In Pakistan, the animal was found in the National Park in Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Khunjerab National Park in Gilgit-Baltistan. Currently, the number of snow leopards in the country is stated to be over 200. Its global population is estimated to be around 8,745.

The snow leopard in the Peshawar Zoo had been shifted there from the Ayubia National Park located in the Galiyat. The administration of Peshawar Zoo used to claim credit for having the only snow leopard and a Markhor, another endangered animal kept at the zoo.

Mohammad Ali, the zoo’s project director, said the medico-legal report of the snow leopard also cited natural cause as the reason for its death.

He rejected the reports that the animal had died due to hot weather or carelessness of the zoo administration and said the facility had qualified and trained staff to look after the animals.

He said that the Peshawar Zoo had a veterinary doctor, three veterinary assistants, one administration officer and two chowkidars at the moment.

However, he conceded that they had vacancies of eight security guards, 10 animal keepers and two gardeners. He said the required staff would be hired soon.

The official said that they had shared the autopsy report of the snow leopard with the government. He said this snow leopard had lived his age of 10 years and died of natural causes.

When reminded about the death of two other animals, a fallow deer and monkey earlier, Mohammad Ali said that they too died of natural causes.

It may be added that the monkey was mauled by a wolf and later died of injuries as both animals had been kept in the same cage.

Many expressed doubts about the explanation that the animals had lived their maximum age limit and died of natural causes. They questioned as to why the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government brought aged animals to the Peshawar Zoo by spending millions of rupees only to die there.

In a statement issued to the media through the Information Department, the Secretary Forestry, Environment and Wildlife Syed Nazar Hussain Shah said that the death of the precious animal was being investigated. It said that chief conservator wildlife was made head of the investigation team, which would submit its report to the department within seven days.

But the statement also said that the snow leopard had died a natural death and not due to warming weather.

At the Peshawar Zoo, there are 23 cages for herbivore animals, seven cages for carnivores, around 60 cages of birds, a walk-through aviary for birds, and a butterfly park.

Muhammad Ali said the zoo was set up in two years and it will take time to improve it further. “Other zoos in the country had taken much more time to develop,” he argued.

The Chief Minister House had claimed that the Peshawar Zoo was established at a total cost of Rs270 million against the estimated cost of Rs2,100 million. It was formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on February 22.