A week after collapsing in its enclosure at Karachi Zoo, Noor Jehan, a 17-year-old African elephant, passed away on Saturday.
Noor Jehan had received emergency treatment for a lesion on April 5 but fell days later, remaining on her side in the enclosure. After her collapse, local veterinarians monitored her health remotely on behalf of Four Paws, an international animal welfare organization.
Four Paws’ team arrived in Karachi earlier this month after zoo officials failed to diagnose and treat Noor Jehan, who had been unwell for months and immobile. Foreign specialists diagnosed her with a large abdominal hematoma and a ruptured perineal membrane; her condition improved under their care. However, she required ongoing intensive care, medication, and physical therapy.
Despite the specialists’ instructions, zoo staff allegedly failed to follow through, and Noor Jehan fell into a pond four days after their departure. Animal experts were set to determine if euthanasia was necessary, and a committee awaited Amir Khalil, Four Paws International’s chief veterinarian.
In August last year, the Four Paws team operated on Noor Jehan and her pen mate Madhubala for chronic tusk infections. After being approached by concerned citizens, the team submitted a report to the Sindh High Court in 2021, recommending measures to improve the welfare of elephants. They also strongly suggested relocating the zoo’s elephants to Safari Park.
Pakistan’s zoos have often faced accusations of neglecting animal welfare. Due to Noor Jehan’s situation, the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P) called for an independent zoo management committee with appropriate civil society representation and urged authorities to evaluate the conditions at zoos and make informed decisions regarding their future viability.
