Tireless efforts by foreign and local veterinarians to bring an ailing elephant Noor Jehan back on its feet could not succeed for the sixth day. The 17-year-old elephant has been lying on the ground for six days after reportedly falling into the pond at Pakistan’s Karachi Zoo. The incident occurred at a time when Noor Jehan was experiencing initial signs of recovery from serious health complications. Currently, Four Paws  — an international team working for animal welfare — is supervising the whole treatment process at the Karachi zoo to save Noor Jehan’s life.

The veterinarians have been giving various medicines to replenish the giant’s energy sapped by a number of health issues. Sharing an update on Noor Jehan’s health Four Paws said, “We are heartbroken to see that Noor Jehan’s health is still not improving, but please know that we are continuing to work with the on-site team who are doing everything possible to ease her suffering.” Recently, Administrator Karachi Dr Syed Saifur Rahman has formed a nine-member committee to take care of the ailing elephant at Karachi Zoo.

The committee comprises Dr Amir Khalil, Director of Reveal and Response from Four Paws International Dr Marina Ivanova, Senior Veterinarian Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Germany Dr Frank Goritz, Head of the Institute of Wildlife and Zoo Research from Germany, Dr Thomas Hilderbrandt and former Senior Director Karachi Zoo Dr Mansoor Qazi, Dr Imran Rasheed, Associate Professor, Department of Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore and others. It is worth mentioning here that there were four elephants in captivity in Karachi, who are all siblings including three females and a male. All four African elephants arrived in Pakistan in 2009. Noor Jehan and Madhubala had been moved to the Karachi Zoo, while Malika and Sonu had been taken to the Safari Park.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP