Editorial in DAWN:
In an encouraging sign for advocates of animal welfare, the World Wide Fund for Nature, along with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department, has initiated a programme to track leopards in Ayubia National Park with radio collars. As reported in this paper, the collars will aid conservationists in monitoring the routes and activities of the animal found in the northern regions of the country.
More here.
According to the Born Free Foundation, “Wild animals do not belong in zoos. They belong in the wild.” The barren concrete enclosures of the Karachi zoo are a prime example of the suffering captive animals endure in captivity. Faiza Ilyas’ report in today’s DAWN newspaper quotes zoologist Abida Raees, an official of the zoo, justifying the small cemented cage of the zoo’s lone leopard:
The cage chosen for the leopard was big enough. While the leopard was in its old enclosure, it was always found in its concrete-floored retiring room. So, it didn’t matter if its cage had no other facilities in the old cage.
Editorial in Dawn:
IT seemed that sanity would prevail this year but the end result was quite the opposite. It was earlier reported that no special permits had been awarded this time round for the annual slaughter of the houbara bustard, an endangered migratory bird that is ostensibly protected under Pakistani and international law. However, it now transpires that Arab dignitaries have been awarded at least 27 permits for their wintertime shooting spree in Pakistan.
More here.
Bhagwandas in Dawn:
KARACHI, Dec 20: Fifteen falcons belonging to a Saudi Arabian dignitary are reported to have been brought to Pakistan recently and sent back to the kingdom after a few days. Falcons are used by hunters, mostly from Arab Gulf states, to hunt the internationally protected houbara bustard for which special hunting permits are issued by the ministry of foreign affairs.
More here.
Guess post by Syed Rizvi, Founder/President of Engineers and Scientists for Animal Rights
A recent editorial on the topic of zoos and conservation in Dawn of November 17 is an admirable step toward bringing the animal issue to the lime light, since without such publications the issue can never reach public eyes and be a subject of debate. However, a comment in the editorial that zoos play an important role in the conservation of endangered species is a misleading one. The truth is that the primary motives of zoos are cheap entertainment at the cost of animal exploitation. Continue reading
The Wednesday, December 31, DAWN has a wonderful editorial about the poor state of zoos in Pakistan. Kudos to the paper for having the courage to say it like it is: that we do not need zoos in our country, given the abysmal state of affairs in most of them. It is time we woke up and realized the extent of suffering the captive animals endure in our zoos. Continue reading
Cowasjee in DAWN:
Full marks to Faiza Ilyas and to the Metropolitan section of Dawn for printing as its lead story on Dec 15 the most depressing and sad tale of the leopard transferred earlier this month from the Safari Park, where for two years she was kept in a turkey cage, to the Korangi-Landhi zoo where she is confined in a somewhat larger cage but subjected to intense maltreatment by visitors who torment her with sticks and stones in an effort to wake her up from her comatose condition. She does nothing but lie in a corner of her cage on a filthy cemented floor.
The aim of this is clear and laudable. Ms Ilyas is pleading for someone or some organisation to come to the rescue of the leopard and save it from its inhumane, uncaring and ignorant jailers.
More here.
Article by Bhagwandas in Dawn about the confiscated fishing cats in Karachi
Endangered fishing cats confiscated from seaview, Karachi.
The Birdwatchers Club of Pakistan launches its forums.