Now that winter has set in Pakistan, but the management of the Marghazar Zoo is still worried about the fate of Kaavan, the lone elephant, who requires special arrangements during the winter months. Kaavan belongs to Sri Lanka, where the temperature does not drop below zero degrees Celsius.

A letter has been moved to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to hand over the services of the elephant’s caretaker, currently working in the human resources department, to someone else, to ensure that the elephant remains safe and sound during the winter.

CDA Member Administration Mohammad Suleyman Khan Warraich said that because of the current caretaker’s behaviour, he had been trying to hand over the elephant to the Lahore zoo.

Kaavan’s partner, an elephant named Saheli, died in April 2012, and Kaavan has remained in the national and international news since due to a lack of facilities for him.

According to a letter written by Zoo Director Mohammad Irshad, CDA’s management have been informed that although several zoos have been contacted for a qualified and experienced caretaker who can handle the aggressive male elephant, they have been unable to find one. The authority was also told that efforts are underway to hire an experienced caretaker on a contractual basis, to end the monopoly of the current caretaker.

“As the winter season has started and we must make the arrangements to protect the elephant from severe cold weather as per prevailing Standard Operating Procedure. If agreed, we may therefore transfer back Mr Muhammad Bilal, head Mahawat to Zoo and a separate case be initiated for the engagement of new Mohawat on contract basis as per availability,” the letter states.

A zoo official who was not authorised to speak on the record said problems were exacerbated because of the availability of the caretaker.

-DAWN
-Agencies