Karachi Zoo
Karachi Zoo (Urdu: کراچی چڑیاگھر) is located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.[1] It is the oldest zoo in the country after Lahore Zoo.
History
Karachi Zoo, established in year 1878, was commonly called as 'Mahatma Gandhi Garden' (Urdu: باغ مہاتما گاندھی). In 1861, the zoo was transferred to municipality by the government. In 1878, the municipality placed the zoo under a trust to be developed out of public subscription. Later, the zoo was once again opened to public in 1881. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the name was changed to 'Karachi Zoological Gardens' or 'Karachi Zoo' for short. In 1953, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation introduced a zoo curator and a qualified veterinary doctor.[1] In 1991-2 CDGK for remodeling of Natural History Museum, which was carried out. In 1992, the Japanese Princess inaugurated the remodeled Natural History Museum. Currently, total strength of Karachi Zoo is about 240 staff members.
Areas and Attractions
- Natural History Museum, renovated in year 1992, is one of the more famous attractions in Karachi Zoo. Apart from stuffed animals, skins, antlers, horns and feathers etc. are also placed on display in the museum. The facility is used by zoology students for research and educational motives.
- Reptile House was extended and renovated in the year 1992. It is one of the few Reptile Houses in Pakistan. There are 13 species of snakes and lizards. Newly born hatching of testudines and crocodilians are also exhibited.
- Veterinary Hospital was established in 1998 in Karachi Zoo with modern diagnostic facilities. There is an operation theatre, equipped with X-ray and sonogram facilities, multiple sick bays, a laboratory and an incubation room.
- Mughal Garden, established in the year 1970, has green lawns with seasonal plants that occupy major part of the garden accompanied with Mughal-style fountains. The garden is famous for different variety of roses and other flowers that are exhibited there.
Karachi Municipal Aquarium
Karachi Municipal Aquarium was constructed in 1953. Located inside the Karachi Zoo, the aquarium has a total of 28 tanks which contain a total of around 300 fishes of about 30 species.[4] It is one of the three public aquariums in Karachi, the other two being Clifton Fish Aquarium and Landhi Korangi Aquarium.
Controversies
Arabian oryx
Karachi Zoo has developed a negative reputation because of multiple deaths of resident species of Arabian oryx, classified critically endangered by IUCN. A pair was bought from a private farm in 2007. The female gave birth to a female in 2007 and later, to a male and a female in 2008, both of which died in 2009.[5] The first born oryx, gave birth to another calf on March 12, 2010, who died the following day. Four days later, the mother of the calf also died in the zoo hospital. At this point, zoo was left with the original pair from 2007.[6] On March 23, 2010, the female of the pair, who was being treated for a foot injury at the zoo hospital for a week, also died.[5]
Species list
Picture gallery
References
External links
Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Karachi_Zoo Karachi Zoo] at Wikimedia Commons