Karachi Zoo’s Rano Finds New Home in Islamabad

News Desk 

Islamabad: A female Himalayan brown bear named Rano has been relocated from the Karachi Zoological Gardens to the Islamabad Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre following an order by the Sindh High Court to ensure her better care and living conditions.

According to Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) spokesperson Umar Bilal, Rano will now undergo a comprehensive medical and behavioural assessment, along with training to help her adapt to her new, more natural environment.

Rano had been kept at Karachi Zoo since 2017. A recent committee review, formed under court directives, found that the bear was showing signs of stress, such as pacing, due to inadequate space and a lack of habitat features resembling her natural Himalayan environment.

Read More: https://thepenpk.com/wildlife-team-rescues-brown-bear-in-deosai-national-park/

“The relocation marks a major step towards improving Rano’s welfare and highlights Pakistan’s growing commitment to wildlife conservation,” Bilal said.

Special preparations were made for her transfer, including a custom-built transport cage and gradual familiarisation sessions to ease her transition.

Wildlife experts have lauded the move as a significant precedent for raising animal welfare standards across the country.

Earlier, the Department of Forests and Wildlife Baltistan successfully rescued a two-year-old brown bear and released it back into its natural habitat within Deosai National Park.

The Wildlife Department was alerted to the bear being trapped in a small corral in Dapa Katisho village. Upon receiving the information, Sajjad Ahmad Khan, Wildlife Management Officer of Deosai National Park, led a team to Dapa Valley.

However, they faced protests from the local community, who voiced concerns about the bear’s presence after it reportedly killed several goats and attacked an elderly villager.

Following discussions with the villagers, the wildlife team safely rescued the bear and released it near Dapa Top in Deosai National Park.

The operation successfully addressed the community’s concerns while ensuring the bear’s return to its natural environment.