Peshawar Zoo gets three pairs of tigers

PESHAWAR: Three pairs of tigers arrived at the Peshawar Zoo here on Monday.

Though June 9 was the final date for the arrival of the tigers, these were delivered today (Monday).

The delay in the arrival of the shipment and completion of other documentation work was blamed for the late arrival of the animals at the zoo.

Pairs of red deer were also brought to the facility while 12 zebras and elephants are also expected to arrive in the coming weeks.

“Six tigers have been brought to the zoo,” said Project Director Peshawar Zoo Muhammad Ali Khan.

There are speculations in the media about the breed of the tigers. Some said they were Siberian and others said these were Bengal tigers. When asked, Muhammad Ali Khan refused to share information about the breed of the tigers.

Enlisted as endangered species, the tiger is the largest among the cat species including lion, leopard and jaguar.

It is mostly recognized for its pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with a lighter underside. It is a territorial and solitary animal.

The global population of the animal has dropped to just some 4,000 from 100,000 in the 20th century due to a host of reasons.

About 2,000 tigers live in small pockets in the Indian subcontinent.

The lack of habitat, constant conflict with humans and poaching for its skin were among the primary reasons of decline in the population of this fascinating animal.

The population of tigers is estimated between 3,062 to 3,948. Muhammad Ali Khan said the government had procured the tigers through a contractor and he was not sure about its origin.

“I would be able to share this specific information after the contractor formally handed over the documents to me,” he said. He said that the six animals were secured at an estimated cost of Rs9.2 million.

“The animals might have been acquired from South Africa as all other animals at the zoo were purchased and brought from that country,” he added.

The official said the contractor was bound to deliver the animals on June 9 but these were brought two weeks late.

He said that some red deer and giraffe were also brought to the facility recently but would not share information about the exact number of the species shifted to the zoo.

“The process to hand over the animals would take at least a month and after that, I would be able to share this information with media,” he added.

The red deer is one of the largest deer species. The red deer inhabited in most parts of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, Iran, parts of western Asia and central Asia.

The official said that the government has also purchased zebras and elephants for Peshawar Zoo and they would arrive here in the coming days.

“I am not sure about the exact arrival date of these animals but one thing is certain that these are coming soon,” he said.