ISLAMABAD: Authorities concerned have asked a team of doctors from the international animal welfare organization “Four Paws” to visit the Karachi Zoo again to treat 17-year-old elephant Noor Jehan that has been suffering from a large hematoma (pool of clotted blood inside her abdomen) and intestinal problems after it fell in a pond in its small enclosure a few days ago.
Karachi Administrator Dr Syed Saifur Rahman said that at the request of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, a Four Paws team arrived in Karachi earlier this month and successfully operated upon Noor Jehan and conducted various tests.
After the operation, the Four Paws left Karachi and it had been treating Noor Jehan online. The Four Paws initially recommended lifting her with ropes, a crane and belts shortly after the fall. She had been lying on a mound of sand, propped up against the only tree inside the enclosure, visibly weak and with limited motion.
Rahman said he hoped the recommended treatment and other measures to restore the health of the 17-year-old elephant would yield useful results.
The administrator stated that the care process is ongoing and that the zoo doctors and other staff have been instructed to arrange Noor Jehan’s treatment as soon as possible. He confirmed that Four Paws had been contacted again to treat the elephant, with a request to visit Pakistan again.
He hoped the elephant would recover quickly. According to the official, the health of the animals residing at the Karachi Zoo is a top priority. He claimed everything possible is being done to care for the animals, including birds, residing at the zoo.
Four Paws’ legal consultant, Owais Awan, thanked the zoo management for the around-the-clock care being provided to the elephant. He said they will not give up on Noor Jehan because she is not giving up. Awan said that it was true that when a large animal falls, it is difficult to get it to stand again. He said that they had no idea how the animal fell but that her condition was improving.
