Karachi Zoo faces Backlash over Animal Neglect & Mistreatment

The Karachi Zoo is once again at the centre of public outrage as concerns grow over the mistreatment and neglect of animals kept within its confines.

The latest controversy involves Rano, a female bear who has been living alone in a small enclosure for years.

She is now undergoing treatment for a head injury that has reportedly become infected due to poor care.

Zoo officials admitted that Rano’s wound appears old and may have worsened over time, with opportunistic birds often feeding on open sores and making recovery difficult.

According to one staff member, even minor injuries at the zoo can quickly turn serious because the facility houses a high concentration of pathogens and scavenging birds.

He added that Rano likely injured herself by repeatedly hitting the metal bars of her cage, a behaviour linked to severe stress and psychological trauma from long-term confinement.

The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation spokesperson Daniyal Sial confirmed that the bear is under medical treatment, though he described the injury as a swelling rather than an open wound.

He claimed Rano would recover within a few days, yet activists remain sceptical, pointing out that the zoo has a long history of neglecting animals under its care.

Rano, believed to be a Himalayan brown bear and not a Syrian bear as officials have claimed, was brought to the zoo in 2017 along with another bear that died in 2020.

Despite repeated assurances, there has been no progress on relocating her to a sanctuary.

A KMC committee recommended DNA testing and immediate transfer to the Balkasar Sanctuary in Punjab nearly nine months ago.

The committee urged that two representatives inspect the sanctuary to ensure proper living conditions before Rano’s relocation, but no follow-up meetings have taken place since.

Animal welfare advocates have condemned the inaction, calling it a violation of both legal and ethical responsibilities towards endangered species.

On September 25, 2025, an Instagram video showing the poor condition of the animals in Karachi zoo went viral.

The reel showed multiple animals chained up and confined in small spaces.

The person recording the video narrated that the lion’s nails were clipped and that there were also several dead birds there.

Recently, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Junior also publicly denounced the zoo administration for what he described as inhumane treatment of animals.

He said that keeping animals in such deplorable conditions goes against both Pakistan’s laws and religion.

He urged the Karachi administration to honour its earlier promises and take immediate action to improve the situation or shut down the facility entirely.

“I want to say, Karachi Zoo, shame on you for keeping animals this way.

“Karachi government, please stick to your words and fix this situation.”

The poor infrastructure, lack of expertise, and bureaucratic apathy continue to jeopardise the lives of animals meant to be under protection.

Until significant reforms are introduced in the country’s zoos, stories like Rano’s will keep emerging.