Thirty-three years have passed since the establishment of Marghzar Zoo, but the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has yet not set up animal hospital and nursery at the facility. As a result, over 53 animals and 78 birds died the last few years because of the absence of health facilities.
The zoo was constructed in 1978 over an area of 25 acres along the Margallah Hills National Park. At the early stage of its establishment, some indigenous and exotic species were housed here and it was decided that the zoo would be upgraded on modern lines with passage time, but no progress has been made so far.
The civic body has not established an animal hospital in the zoo or in the federal capital, which is very mandatory for the treatment and care of the caged animals.
“Similarly, there is no animal nursery in the zoo due to, which CDA spend huge on purchasing animals and birds, said an official source told Pakistan Today. Source said the zoo was a place offering a variety of unique animals and birds to adults and children, but the Marghzar Zoo fast losing this character.
“A zoo houses animals and birds, so more attention and care is needed to look after them, but mishandling and improper care have resulted in a large number deaths of animals in the zoo,” he said.
The official said a female ostrich at Marghazar Zoo died on July last year due to the alleged negligence of the administration, leaving behind only three male ostriches. The death of the ostrich occurred despite of the fact that the attention of the authorities concerned was many a times drawn towards the poor arrangement of food and medical facilities, he added.
He said during last four years, 53 animals and 78 birds died at the zoo due to lake of medial facilities and alleged negligence of the attendants and administration. “Eleven animals and 12 birds died in 2006, while the number was 14 animals and 32 birds in 2007, 13 animals and 21 birds in 2008 and 13 animals and 11 birds in 2009.”
The source said in 2009, a zebra was died due to the lack of proper medical facilities. The main attractions at the zoo, lion and leopard, have died few years ago, but the town planners had not provided their replacement yet.
“The lion died of leg injuries,” he recalled. He said a crocodile was also among the causalities.
The administration has kept birds in the enclosures meant for leopard and crocodile and a brown bear in a cage for lion. Currently, there are as many 320 animals at the zoo. The list includes ducks, grey wolf, rhesus monkey, spider monkey, elephant, chinkara, frey goral, black buck, blue bill, yak, ostrich, barking dear, urial, hog dear, mouflon sheep, spotted dear, red fox, jackal, Indian blue peafowl, civet, steppe eagle and owl.
