African lion dies at Karachi Zoo

KARACHI: A 17-year-old African lion has died at Karachi Zoo last week after completing his average lifespan, ARY News reported on Monday, quoting Senior Director Raza Abbas Rizvi.

According to details, the big cat was one of the four cats which were confiscated by the custom officials in 2010 over violation of import policy. They were later shifted to zoo.

In a statement, senior director of recreation at the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Raza Abbas Rizvi noted that the African lion had completed its average lifespan [in the cage], which is stated to be between 17 to 20 years.

The senior director added that the veterinarians were carrying out the postmortem of the deceased big cat to ascertain the cause of its death. “The animal was brought to the zoo in 2010 when it was only five years old,” he added.

Read More: Another Karachi Zoo lion dies of ‘old age’

Earlier in November 2021, a white lion of extinct group in the Karachi Zoological and Botanical Gardens died after it was ill for 20 days with continues deterioration.

The fated lion had contracted pneumonia which could not be healed and the debilitating infection proved fatal for him slowly weakening him, said KMC official.

The white lion was around 14 to 15 years old and brought to the Karachi zoo along with its mate from Africa in 2012.

Following the death, Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab had called for an inquiry, promising there would be strict action against those found negligent in duties.