Crocodiles Covered In Paan And Gutka Stains At Karachi Zoo Spark Outrage

Zoo and wildlife in Pakistan are being mistreated on almost a regular basis in most, if not all parts of Pakistan. Whether it is the illegal killing of Markhor or the mistreatment of tigers and lions by political parties, Pakistan has been witness to some of the worst cases of wildlife mistreatment.

Recently, an incident from Karachi Zoo sparked outrage from the public as a picture of two crocodiles covered in blood-red spots of paan and gutka went viral.

A sorry sight: crocodiles 🐊 soak up the sun at the Karachi Zoo after paan and gutka-using visitors spat on them, leaving their bodies with blood-red spots. Pic via @thenews_intl pic.twitter.com/vva1zgRSy7

— Zia Ur Rehman (@zalmayzia) January 17, 2020

The photo was published by The News with the caption,

“A sorry sight: crocodiles soak up the sun at the Karachi Zoo after paan and gutka-using visitors spat on them, leaving their bodies with blood-red spots.”

what kind of jaahil do you have to be to spit paan on an animal in a zoo pic.twitter.com/ZtAqjU6nuF

— Sanam Maher (@SanamMKhi) January 17, 2020

The public and netizens alike were outraged by this as people expressed their disdain for the culprits, calling them “jaahil” and “horrible.” Some even questioned the staff over their lack of awareness. What were these folks doing to protect the animals?

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“Incidents like these take place in the absence of the zoo’s staff,” Zoo and Safari Director Kanwar Ayub said on SAMAA TV’s programme Naya Din.

“The person who spat on the crocodiles also took their pictures so that our staff can be demeaned. We are trying our best to provide a good environment for visitors but they need to take responsibility as well,” he said.

Ayub blamed the incident on people visiting the zoo and their “lack of civic sense”. The management of the Karachi Zoo has often been called out for mismanagement and cruelty with animals.

“There is a shortage of staff at the zoo, but we are our making the best use of the resources available. After the completion of the first phase of the project, security cameras will be installed,” he said.

Similar cases have been cropping up on social media where animals have been subjected to cruelty. The Islamabad Zoo has been in the news recently because of the poor condition of the animals there. People had raised awareness regarding the condition of the zoo’s elephant, Himalayan brown bear and marsh crocodile. Share your thoughts on how such incidents can be prevented and what should be done to deter culprits. Stay posted for more updates.

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