he only elephant that has survived confinement in a small enclosure at the Karachi Zoo is sick.

From a distance, it looks as if she is standing in a catatonic state in the scorching heat. This is not a spectacle visitors to the zoo look forward to. The elephant does not move and is in no mood to entertain people.

Standing by a pond, it looks stranded. A few months ago, a younger sibling of hers had fallen into the same pond.

Madhubala, the elder sister of Noor Jehan, who died in April is currently under treatment for the same infectious parasites that the deceased had tested positive for.

Earlier this month, the 18-year-old elephant was screened for a second time. Blood work and reports confirmed the presence of two parasites; trypanosoma evansi (t-evansi), a pathogen transmitted through fly bites and piroplasms that are carried by ticks.

Both these parasites can cause diseases characterised by nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, anaemia, loss of appetite and reproductive complications. Left untreated, these can be fatal.

“Madhubala needs to be relocated to the Karachi Safari Park once she recovers” says Dr Amir Khalil, a Four Paws veterinarian who was also a part of the mission to assist the local authorities in the treatment of Noor Jehan.

Khalil, the Egyptian doctor known in the animal rights community as the ‘war vet’ for his extensive rescue work in places around the world where conflict is rife and animals are kept captive in deplorable conditions, says large zoo mammals must be shifted to species-appropriate sanctuaries.

Speaking of Madhubala, he says, “Elephants are social mammals… they don’t do so well in isolation and can become distressed.

“After the death of Noor Jehan, Madhubala has been not only sick but also very lonely. This can be too much for an elephant.”

“As soon as Madhubala is clear of the parasites, the authorities should relocate her to the Safari Park where she will be in the company of Sonu and Malika.”

According to Khalil, other wildlife can catch the parasites Madhubala has currently. “Our protocols dictate that an animal be tested thoroughly and ruled healthy before we shift them,” he says.

Khalil says there is a fair chance of recovery. “We have checked with the zoo officials and they have administered the treatment we prescribed. After four doses of the drug have been given, we will monitor the condition of Madhubala and conduct another round of tests to make sure she’s healthy before we assist the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation in shifting her to the sanctuary.”

Khalil says this could happen by the end of June.

Relocation of distressed animals is only a part of the Four Paws mission. Dr Khalil says the other part is an assessment whether the zoo is safe for animals at all.

“First, Noor Jehan got the blood parasites. We were not done grieving over her death when Madhubala got the same parasites. The parasites spread through flying insects. As long as those are in the zoo, it is not a safe place for any animal susceptible to this infection,” he says.

“Also, the staff could use some training to equip them with the knowledge and skills to detect and prevent such cases,” says Khalil. “The zookeepers also need to focus on the nutritional needs of each animal.”

Kanwar Ayub, a former director of Karachi Zoological Garden, tells TNS, “All enclosures are washed with phenyl. We also sprinkle lime to disinfect those.”

“We are spraying the cages with disinfectants after every 15 days. During monsoons, we make sure there is no stagnant water left anywhere,” he says.

Ayub says preparations have already been made to shift Madhubala to the Karachi Safari Park. “We have made sure her enclosure in the Safari Park has everything she needs. Her caretakers will go with her.”

Ayub rejects rumours that two baby elephants are being imported from Sri Lanka. “We have no such plans. In fact, there is an international ban on elephant trade since 2021,” he says.

“The only way for the zoo to get elephants is through Four Paws. We have requested them to send us some rescued baby elephants,” says Ayub.

Ayub says he favours captive breeding instead. “It is always good for a zoo to have some homegrown animals,” he says.

“Unfortunately that has not happened so far. For a start, this requires pairs. We have had many birds and mammals that spent their entire lives in the zoo without having a partner. As a result, the species disappear from the zoo altogether,” he laments.

Ayub says the Karachi Zoo faces a litany of problems including a shortage of staff and a lack of funding. “We only have one doctor. We need a medical team with at least one veterinarian specializing in wildlife.”

Dedicated keeper

Madhubala is noticeably more animated when she is shifted to another enclosure for a bath. She splashes around in the water and with her trunk touches Yusuf Masih - the caretaker who has been with her since she was first brought to the zoo –as he feeds her bananas.

Masih, who has been working with elephants in the zoo for 35 years, says he is quite fond of Madhubala who has grown up under his care. After the death of Noor Jehan, Masih says, he is determined to make sure that Madhubala recovers. “I had known Noor Jehan since she was a baby. When she got sick and was dying, it was heartbreaking for me. I don’t think I can bear it if anything happens to Madhu,” he tells TNS.

Masih says, Madhu and Noor Jehan were African elephants who tend to be less sociable than their Asian cousins. “Asian elephants are more docile by nature and do not mind giving rides. African elephants hate that and can get quite angry if coerced. It is best to respect the fact that they want to keep their distance,” remarks Masih while splashing Madhubala with a bucketful of water.

“I remember training Anarkali. She was the last Asian elephant the Karachi Zoo had. She was quie comfortable around people. She died, aged 65, back in 2006 and the zoo was without elephants for three years before Madhubala and Noor Jehan arrived in 2009.”

“Noor Jehan and Madhubala were both chained because they were wild. The smallest of commotion would scare them,” he says.

“Most zoos around the world do not keep elephants in pairs because bull (male) elephants can get quite aggressive when they go into musth and are ready for mating… Female elephants are more social and less destructive,” he adds.

Poached as babies

Caught in the wild in Tanzania by a Pakistani animal trader, four elephant calves were brought to Karachi in 2009 where they were separated and named.

Two of those; Malika and Sonu were sent to the Safari Park. The other two , Noor Jehan and Madhubala, were brought to the Karachi Zoo.

Two years ago, the Sindh High Court (SHC) requested Four Paws to examine the four elephants. The report presented to the SHC said Noor Jehan and Madhubala had broken tusks. Sonu and Malika had foot injuries and a fungal infection.

The court was also informed that all four were exhibiting signs of distress and that Noor Jahan required urgent medical attention, possibly surgery for a tusk infection. The team also found that Sonu, thought to be a male elephant, was actually a female.

In August 2022 Dr Amir Khalil and his team treated all four.

Noor Jehan

In April 2023, the zoo administration again sought help from the Four Paws because Noor Jehan had an inflamed foot and was limping.

The zoo administration suspected the elephant had developed an orthopaedic condition. However, the Four Paws team diagnosed her with a hematoma.

The Four Paws team suggested that the elephant needed physiotherapy to train the muscles in her body and walk again. Dr Khalil also advised that the animal be put on a special diet.

The elephant was receiving the treatment when, on April 13, she fell into the pond in her enclosure and was unable to get out on its own. The Fire Department were called and used a crane to lift her out. However, the elephant never get back to her feet again. She succumbed to her injuries on April 17.

A post-mortem report released by the KMC, said it had been suffering from multiple ailments prior to falling into the pond. She also had patches of dead skin and ulcers on various parts of her body including her thighs, ears, thorax and abdomen. The muscles in these areas were also found degenerated. She was also severely dehydrated.

The report found no evidence of a hematoma but found ulcers, haemorrhages and inflammation on several internal organs including lungs and liver. Her blood was found thin, indicating a low RBC count. The lymph nodes were congested and the spleen swollen.

Species-appropriate

environment

Dr Khalil says shifting Madhubala to the Safari Park is only a temporary fix. Khalil says, “In the wild, these mammals prefer to be in herds and wander freely. Elephant herds are known to use collective spatial memory to traverse large distances,” he says.

An elephant can walk between 25 and 195 kilometers a day to find food or migrate. “Elephants need space. In a sanctuary, you need at least 1.5 acres of land per elephant for them to have an environment that similar to their natural habitat,” he says.

Khalil says Four Paws has recommended that a specialised species-appropriate sanctuary be built for the three remaining African elephants.

“Elephants need sand and water. They need mud. They also need to be taken care of regularly. For instance, foot care is essential; else they develop painful complications,” he remarks.

Dr Waqar Ahmed, an assistant professor at the Institute of Environment Studies, University of Karachi, says it is crucial to provide a captive animal with an environment that is as close to its natural habitat as possible. “The enclosures should mimic the conditions animals prefer in the wild and should be suited to their specific needs,” he says.

Dr Ahmed says greater attention needs to be paid to the upkeep of the zoo. “The Karachi Zoo is also home to centuries-old trees. The indigenous tree species of Sindh should also be planted there to provide a natural environment for the animals,” he suggests.

Plans for a sanctuary

In April, Syed Nasir Hussain, the local government minister, had announced that the government was considering a proposal to establish a sanctuary for elephants. “We have allocated 20acres of land in the Safari Park for these animals,” the minister had announced.

Kanwar Ayub now tells TNS that the administration is planning on establishing an elephant sanctuary at the Karachi Safari Park. He says the blueprint for the sanctuary is ready. The project could take longer than six months to complete.

The writer is an award-winning multimedia journalist, photographer and PhD scholar. She tweets @sheeema