Suzi died due to zoo doctors’ criminal negligence

The Lahore Zoo’s only elephant Suzi died a few days ago due to the criminal negligence of the administration and the veterinary doctors at the Zoo. It has been reported that the elephant was suffering from an acute ailment since the last month, however, no real treatment was provided to it.

Veterinary doctors employed at the Zoo, Rah Gul and Madiha, have been employed at the Zoo not on merit but due to political recommendations. None of the said doctors had the experience or the capability to treat the elephant.

It has been reported that Suzi was suffering from high fever since a week before her death due to which she developed severe pain in one of her back legs. However, instead of giving her rest, the zookeepers in order to earn some petty tips from the visitors kept her up. This resulted in the deterioration of Suzi’s health that ultimately led to her death.

Over the last three years, a giraffe, hippopotamus and rhinoceros died after reportedly feeling pain in their legs. It is being speculated that all of these animals could have been saved, had it not been for the incapability of the doctors at the zoo.

Suzi was an African Bush elephant and this breed of elephants has an average life of over eighty years. Unfortunately, Suzi was only 35 years old at her death. Also, great embezzlements were reported in regards to the funds that were allocated for the elephant’s feed. According to an estimate, Rs 1.4 million was allocated for Suzi’s food every month; it is hard to imagine an ailing elephant requiring food in such abundance.

The dealer who sold Suzi to the Lahore Zoo for just Rs 800,000 in 1987, said while speaking to Pakistan Today that the net worth of the elephant today would be in dozens of millions.

To add to Suzi’s plight, the wildlife administration and that of the Lahore Zoo, failed to complete a pair of the elephants, in over 30 years, that is imperative for the survival of an elephant.

Wildlife administration has suspended the director of the zoo, Shafqat Ali, over the death of Suzi.

DG Wildlife Khalid Zia has ordered an inquiry into the matter and has called an emergency meeting. The postmortem report of Suzi will be provided to the administration, today.

Speaking to this newspaper, Caretaker Director Ahsan Ali Sukhera said that the elephant died due to old age. He added that Suzi was suffering from obesity and excessive uric acid due to which she could not survive.

DG Wildlife has stated that another elephant would soon be brought to the zoo.