Karachi, Nov 26 (PTI) A 17-year-old African elephant named Madhubala will be reunited with her two sisters after 15 years on Tuesday as she was moved from Karachi Zoo to the city’s Safari Park.
Karachi Zoo authorities, with the assistance of Four Paws International, an animal welfare organisation, transported Madhubala to the sprawling Safari Park on the other side of the city.
The operation was followed by curious bystanders who cheered and whistled as the elephant was put in a specially-made container, lifted by a crane and then taken on a truck in a motorcade to the Safari Park where her two sisters have been living since 2009.
“Madhubala has been placed in a night room for now and she will meet her sisters Sonu and Malaika in a day or two once she has settled in her new surroundings,” said Dr Khalil Ahmed of Four Paws International.
Madhubala has been living alone in solitary confinement at the famous and historic Karachi Zoo since her companion Noor Jahan died a year ago in tragic circumstances.
Madhubala is now the country’s second and last elephant freed from zoo captivity. The first was Islamabad’s Kaavan, who was moved to a sanctuary in Cambodia in 2020 by Four Paws.
Once at the Safari Park, Madhubala gracefully settled down in her night room and was treated to a feast with cucumbers, carrots, bananas, apples and watermelons placed nearby.
Dr Khalil said it would be a big day for Madhubala to reunite with her sisters.
The sisters were brought to Karachi as calves in 2009 and were separated when Madhubala was placed in the Karachi Zoo with Noor Jahan and Sonu and Malaika went to Safari Park.
“Elephants have a good memory and don’t forget very easily so the reunion would be easy and special for them. Elephants love to be in families and most of them are herds of females,” Khalil said. PTI CORR GSP GSP
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