he death of a bear who had been confined to an enclosure at the Dera Ghazi Khan Zoo has drawn the ire of animal rights activists from across the country.

The cause of death has not been ascertained; while some reports claim that the bear died after drinking ‘contaminated’ water, because the zoo facility lacked a clean water supply, zoo officials maintain that the bear had aged and died a ‘natural’ death.

A zoo official said that the autopsy report indicated that it was old and ailing. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, he said that the bear, aged 26 years and 6 months, had been obese and suffering from diabetes.

However, some citizens suspect that the bear died due to thirst and starvation. Some say that the city’s contaminated water supply was to blame for the death.

There have been reports in the media that the zoo is short on potable water.

Ramzan Qadir, a local PPP leader, says water contamination was to blame for the death of the bear. “And it’s not just a bear. Humans are suffering too. Water-borne diseases have become more common,” he adds.

Others have found fault with the zoo administration. “Hungry and thirsty, confined to dirty, narrow and dimly-lit walls, the bear’s life was a daily punishment,” says Abdussattar Baloch, the editor of a local newspaper.

“The bear was practically starved and dehydrated,” adds Baloch. “It was offered contaminated water in small amounts until it died,” he says.

“After it died, the zoo administration tried to sweep the matter under the rug,” he says, “…that was until the videos of the sick bear surfaced on social media and animal rights activists from across the country criticised the zoo staff for negligence and mismanagement.”

Ruling out mismanagement, zoo officials say that while the zoo’s water supply had in fact turned ‘bitter,’ arrangements had already been made to supply sweet water to the animals.

The officials also say that the zoo administration is focusing on mobilisation of funds to solve some of the other problems it has been facing, including understaffing.

While the cause of death remains disputed, animal rights activists have been unequivocal in their condemnation of keeping wild animals in zoos, especially in settings where the administration is unable to see to the needs of animals.

While the cause of death is disputed, animal rights activists have been unequivocal in their condemnation of keeping wild animals in zoos, especially in settings where the administration is unable to see to the needs of animals. 

Mahira Omer, a co-founder of the Pakistan Animal Welfare Society, says that zoos should not exist in Pakistan. “We should abolish zoos. Bears, especially, should not be kept in small cages. They are social animals. They need a large area to forage [for food],” she says.

“Bears are a rare species in this region. Keeping them in small enclosures, as in the zoo or private custody, can impede their growth and have detrimental effects on them. Distressed animals are often seen pacing back and forth in their cages, then they begin licking themselves and eventually they pass away because they are not in a species-appropriate habitat,” says Omer.

Fahad Malik, a wildlife photographer, claims that veterinary negligence was one of the reasons the bear in DG Khan Zoo died. “However, the abuse of bears is not limited to zoos. Throughout south Punjab, we get to hear of blood sports like bear bating and bears being tamed to dance,” he says.

“Bear cubs are caught from the wild. The poachers kill their mothers because mothers typically do not let their cubs be taken away without a fight,” says Malik. “Later, these cubs are put in zoos where they spend their remaining lives in misery,” he says.

Sheikh Amjad, a lawyer, does not believe zoos should be abolished. He agrees, however, that the Dera Ghazi Khan Zoo is rundown and neglected. “The zoo has an ideal location. It needs to be reformed, not shut down. It is the only zoo for miles around. It is true that the zoo has been neglected for way too long. The administration just takes it for granted,” says Amjad.

“There are no checks on the food and water supplied to the animals,” he says, adding that many animals had grown weak and sick.

A new zoo was set up in Taunsa Sharif under the Usman Buzdar administration.

The DG Khan commissioner, the deputy commissioner and the wildlife deputy director did not respond to a request for comments. Minister for Wildlife Bilal Afzal told TNS that the caretaker government was planning to ‘revamp’ the zoos.

“To start with, a project to revamp the Lahore Zoo at a cost of Rs 2,136 million has been launched. The plans include the addition of about 35 species of birds and animals. Walkthrough gates, monkey enclaves, walkthrough lion and tiger enclaves and e-ticketing are part of the project,” says the minister.

“In addition, a Rs 2,600 million master plan has been launched to improve the Safari Park, Lahore. 11 species of animals and birds will be added to Safari Park. An aquarium, e-ticketing, salt range, African safari, desert safari and night safari are also part of the project,” he says.

The writer’s book, Capital Calling, is set to be published soon. He can be reached at hassan.shehzad@iiu.edu.pk