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.
Faiza Ilyas in DAWN:
KARACHI, Jan 4: The city government is yet to take any steps to alleviate the suffering of the lone female leopard kept in unnatural conditions in the CDGK’s Korangi-Landhi zoo and being ‘targeted’ by visitors for fun. During a visit to the zoo last week, the cemented floor of the cage was found littered with stones, big enough to cause serious injuries, plastic bottles and sticks, a sure sign of the cruel treatment the big cat had been subjected to over the weeks.
More here.
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.