For ages zoos have been children’s favourite place to visit and interact with all types of species. It is believed that zoos are the best place to learn about animals. The question is: at what cost?

Early last month, the tragic news of a male giraffe’s passing at Lahore Zoo became public. This wasn’t the first time an animal had died in one of our zoos, The sad part is that almost a month later it is still not clear as to what caused his death. According to the initial postmortem report, it died of complications of a liver ailment.

Speaking to this scribe, Kiran Saleem, an education officer at Lahore Zoo, says, “A pair of young giraffes had been brought from Africa in 2018; they were perfectly healthy. Last year, the male giraffe started showing signs of exhaustion. After a few tests it was diagnosed that blood pahad rasites had attacked him.”

According to Saleem, the animal responded well to treatment and regained health. Recently, he had a recurrence of the same ailment. “He was under treatment when we suddenly lost him.” She adds that the final report is awaited.

Like humans, animals grieve the loss of their partners. The female giraffe has been visibly upset. As Saleem puts it, “No animal should be kept in isolation as it immensely impacts their physical and mental health. We are trying to bring in another giraffe but aren’t sure how much time it might take. Till then the sheep will give her company.”

Lahore Zoo is spread over 24 acres of land. Currently, it is home to 1,200-odd animals, birds and reptiles of over a hundred species. All animals are regularly examined for any medical issues, and any animal showing symptoms is immediately isolated, tested and treated. Last year, there were 130 deaths including aged animals. 550 births also took place. The giraffe’s death is the first such event this year.

Animal rights activists all over the world routinely raise concerns over how the animals are kept and treated at the zoos. They advocate holographic zoos because they believe that animals should be left in their natural habitat and not confined in cages. Maha, a young mother, was very sad to learn about the death of the giraffe at the Lahore Zoo. She promises to “never take my child to the zoo because it can have a negative impact [on the child] and they are likely to think that it’s okay to cage the animals and keep them away from their own families.”

On the other hand, many veterinarians are of the view that zoos are important to save the species that are fast becoming extinct because their natural habitats are depleting.

Tall facts about the

animal

iraffes, with a beautiful, base colour and brown patches, are known to be the world’s tallest mammals because of their towering legs and long necks. Their scientific name is Giraffa Camelopardalis. They are herbivores and consume greenery and foliage. Their average life span in the wild is 25 years. Their size varies from 14 to 19 feet and they weigh between 1,750 and 2,800 pounds. A giraffe’s legs are taller than most humans; these help them run fast. The legs and neck help them eat leaves from tall trees while keep eyes out for potential danger in the surroundings. Their gestation period is 15 months.

According to Kiran Saleem, an education officer at Lahore Zoo, the animal had a recurrence of the ailment he had suffered from last year. “He was under treatment when suddenly we lost him.” The final report is awaited.

The writer is a   freelance journalist