Despite growing calls to relocate Rano the bear to an appropriate animal sanctuary as Karachi’s heat waves rise, the Karachi Metropolitan Centre (KMC) has yet to implement a proper strategy to find a solution.
According to Dawn, the KMC committee had suggested back in January to shift the bear to a sanctuary in Punjab, but there was no follow up meeting held to follow up on this recommendation.
The committee was called up by the mayor after animal rights activists raised issues about Rano the bear’s condition in her cage where she has remained for the last nine years. Activists pointed out that Rano was a Himalayan brown bear-which was a critically endangered species.
According to the publication, the committee was led by a senior professor at the Karachi University and also comprised of wildlife officials, who had conducted an extensive examination of Rano the bear. In their report, the committee members expressed concern over the bear’s behavior, which suggested that she was under stress.
Further on, the report said Rano’s diet and physical health was fine and there were no critical wounds on her body, but emphasised on the ‘heavy noise’ the bear was making during the visit.
The report suggested for Rano’s immediate transfer to a bear sanctuary at Balkasar while her subspecies is being confirmed through the DNA testing.
“The species may immediately be transferred to the bear sanctuary at Balkasar till confirmation of the species/subspecies through DNA sequencing. Any two members nominated/advised by the senior director will visit the bear sanctuary to check the facility before shifting off the female brown bear,” it said.
A KMC official spoke to Dawn about the difficulties in arranging a follow up meeting, saying the bear’s transfer to Punjab couldn’t take place immediately as there was no headway in her case.
Previously in 2023, Karachi zoo had attracted outrage from local and international activists after the elephant Noor Jehan collapsed from a critical injury and later passed away in April. Four Paws, the international animal welfare organisation, had been invited by zoo officials to provide treatment to the elephant. In a statement after the wild elephant’s death, they had urged for authorities in Pakistan to implement better strategies to care for wild animals in the future.
