THE culpability of the Karachi Zoo authorities in the suffering and death of Noor Jehan, one of the two African .m elephants at the facility, is beyond any doubt. It seems equally clear that they have refused to learn any lessons. No inquiry has been announced into the negligence that led to the young animal`s death. Consider the multiple missteps. First, there was no attempt to seek timely intervention for her medical condition. Second, the Four Paws International team that was finally permitted to visit and treat Noor Jehan had cautioned upon leaving that she was an intensive care patient requiring 24-hour monitoring. Despite this, she was left unsupervised resulting in a fall which ultimately proved fatal. Calls for closing the zoo had been gaining traction. However, instead of stocktaking, a cavalier self-confidence is on display. The zoo director has expressed a wish to bring the facility in line with international standards and bring in more exotic species like big cats and giraffes to the zoo.

If reform seemed possible, it may have been an option.

However, zoos in Pakistan have proven entirely inept.

Inappropriate diet, insufficient exercise, lack of a stimulating environment, not to mention mistreatment, are just some of the problems that have been repeatedly highlighted. Several animals have perished as a result. The story of Kaavan, the elephant that was once languishing at Islamabad Zoo and now lives a species-appropriate life at a Cambodian sanctuary, is the only bright spot in this sorry saga. The educational value of zoos for children is not reason enough to justify keeping wild animals captive in conditions of pain and misery. Talks about creating an elephant sanctuary are underway with Four Paws International who are experts in the field where the three remaining African elephants in Karachi can be kept. It is essential that civil society representatives with experience in animal welfare be included in the planning and management of the facility.