Plight of animals

A few weeks back I decided to visit the Karachi Zoo. I was visiting the place after a decade and it was disappointing to see that the place looked nothing like the image I had in my memory. Tiny, unkempt cages were hosting wild animals who clearly looked disturbed. The glass walls in front of the famous white lions, who are reportedly fighting mysterious skin disease, were so dirty that they blocked the view. It was apparent that the authorities concerned were not carrying out maintenance work regularly.

And while I would have ignored the fact that the place was dirty and had an awful stench, I cannot remain silent over the miserable condition of animals. Wild animals are living beings who need proper diet and safe environment to live in. They shouldn’t be kept in tiny cages in which they cannot walk properly. Not many animals will appreciate to entertain humans 24/7. The Sindh government and other relevant authorities have shown that they can manage the zoo properly. It will be better if the authorities shut the place down and release animals in the wild – at least they will have a chance to live a good life.

Fouzia Imran

Karachi