Latest news with #SafariPark
Malay Mail
22-05-2025
- Health
- Malay Mail
Jumbo task: Pakistan team hides 400 pills a day in fruit, sweets to save sick elephants
KARACHI, May 22 — A team of doctors and vets in Pakistan has developed a novel treatment for a pair of elephants suffering from tuberculosis that involves feeding them at least 400 pills a day. The jumbo effort by staff at the Karachi Safari Park involves administering the tablets — the same as those used to treat TB in humans — hidden inside food ranging from apples and bananas, to Pakistani sweets. The amount of medication is adjusted to account for the weight of the 4,000-kilogram elephants. But it has taken Madhubala and Malika several weeks to settle into the treatment after spitting out the first few doses they tasted of the bitter medicine, and crankily charging their keepers. 'Giving treatment for TB to elephants is always challenging. Each day we use different methods,' said Buddhika Bandara, a veterinary surgeon from Sri Lanka who flew in to oversee the treatment. 'The animals showed some stress in the beginning, but gradually they adapted to the procedure,' said Bandara, who has helped more than a dozen elephants recover from the illness in Sri Lanka. Mahout Ali Baloch wakes early daily to stew rice and lentils, mixed with plenty of sugar cane molasses, and rolls the concoction into dozens of balls pierced with the tablets. 'I know the pills are bitter,' the 22-year-old said, watching the elephants splashing under a hose to keep cool. From humans to elephants Four African elephants — captured very young in the wild in Tanzania — arrived in Karachi in 2009. Noor Jehan died in 2023 at the age of 17, and another, Sonia, followed at the end of 2024. An autopsy showed she had contracted tuberculosis, which is endemic in Pakistan. Tests carried out on Madhubala and Malika also came back positive, and the city council — which owns the safari park — assembled a team to care for the pachyderms. Bandara said it is not uncommon for elephants to contract the contagious illness from humans, but that Sonia — and now Madhubala and Malika — had shown no symptoms. 'It was surprising for me that elephants have TB,' said Naseem Salahuddin, head of the Infectious Disease Department at the Indus Hospital and Health Network, who was enrolled to monitor staff. 'This is an interesting case for me and my students — everyone wants to know about the procedure and its progress,' she told AFP. The team of four mahouts wear face masks and scrubs when feeding the elephants to avoid contracting a disease that infects more than 500,000 humans a year. Karachi Safari Park has long been criticised for the mistreatment of captive animals — including an elephant evacuated after a campaign by American singer Cher — but is hopeful its last two elephants will overcome the illness with a year-long treatment plan. Four African elephants — captured very young in the wild in Tanzania — arrived in Karachi in 2009. Noor Jehan died in 2023 at the age of 17, and another, Sonia, followed at the end of 2024. An autopsy showed she had contracted tuberculosis, which is endemic in Pakistan. Tests carried out on Madhubala and Malika also came back positive, and the city council — which owns the safari park — assembled a team to care for the pachyderms. Bandara said it is not uncommon for elephants to contract the contagious illness from humans, but that Sonia — and now Madhubala and Malika — had shown no symptoms. 'It was surprising for me that elephants have TB,' said Naseem Salahuddin, head of the Infectious Disease Department at the Indus Hospital and Health Network, who was enrolled to monitor staff. 'This is an interesting case for me and my students — everyone wants to know about the procedure and its progress,' she told AFP. The team of four mahouts wear face masks and scrubs when feeding the elephants to avoid contracting a disease that infects more than 500,000 humans a year. Karachi Safari Park has long been criticised for the mistreatment of captive animals — including an elephant evacuated after a campaign by American singer Cher — but is hopeful its last two elephants will overcome the illness with a year-long treatment plan. — AFP
Asharq Al-Awsat
21-05-2025
- Health
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Jumbo Task: 400 Pills a Day for Elephants with TB in Pakistan
A team of doctors and vets in Pakistan has developed a novel treatment for a pair of elephants suffering from tuberculosis that involves feeding them at least 400 pills a day. The jumbo effort by staff at the Karachi Safari Park involves administering the tablets -- the same as those used to treat TB in humans -- hidden inside food ranging from apples and bananas, to Pakistani sweets, AFP reported. The amount of medication is adjusted to account for the weight of the 4,000-kilogram (8,800-pound) elephants. But it has taken Madhubala and Malika several weeks to settle into the treatment after spitting out the first few doses they tasted of the bitter medicine, and crankily charging their keepers. "Giving treatment for TB to elephants is always challenging. Each day we use different methods," said Buddhika Bandara, a veterinary surgeon from Sri Lanka who flew in to oversee the treatment. "The animals showed some stress in the beginning, but gradually they adapted to the procedure," said Bandara, who has helped more than a dozen elephants recover from the illness in Sri Lanka. Mahout Ali Baloch wakes early daily to stew rice and lentils, mixed with plenty of sugar cane molasses, and rolls the concoction into dozens of balls pierced with the tablets. "I know the pills are bitter," the 22-year-old said, watching the elephants splashing under a hose to keep cool. Four African elephants -- captured very young in the wild in Tanzania -- arrived in Karachi in 2009. Noor Jehan died in 2023 at the age of 17, and another, Sonia, followed at the end of 2024. An autopsy showed she had contracted tuberculosis, which is endemic in Pakistan. Tests carried out on Madhubala and Malika also came back positive, and the city council -- which owns the safari park -- assembled a team to care for the pachyderms. Bandara said it is not uncommon for elephants to contract the contagious illness from humans, but that Sonia -- and now Madhubala and Malika -- had shown no symptoms. "It was surprising for me that elephants have TB," said Naseem Salahuddin, head of the Infectious Disease Department at the Indus Hospital and Health Network, who was enrolled to monitor staff. "This is an interesting case for me and my students -- everyone wants to know about the procedure and its progress," she told AFP. The team of four mahouts wear face masks and scrubs when feeding the elephants to avoid contracting a disease that infects more than 500,000 humans a year. Karachi Safari Park has long been criticized for the mistreatment of captive animals -- including an elephant evacuated after a campaign by American singer Cher -- but is hopeful its last two elephants will overcome the illness with a year-long treatment plan.
Arab News
17-05-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Elephants undergoing medical treatment in Karachi show signs of recovery — wildlife expert
KARACHI: Medical experts treating two elephants diagnosed with tuberculosis at Karachi's Safari Park said on Friday the animals were responding well to treatment and remained under constant observation as part of a long-term recovery plan. The update was shared at a news briefing by Dr. Budhika Bhandara, a wildlife health specialist from Sri Lanka, who was on a 17-day visit in Karachi to supervise the treatment of elephants Madhubala and Malika. The two elephants were diagnosed with TB earlier this month, prompting the park to launch an intensive treatment program under international protocols. 'We are treating them very well,' Dr. Bhandara told reporters. 'The elephants are showing clinical signs, but they are not weak. We have started with a two-month initial phase of daily doses, followed by a continuation phase as per the standard operating procedures.' Under the treatment plan, the elephants will receive continuous medication and monitoring for ten months after the initial phase. The animals are being kept under round-the-clock supervision, and park officials have restricted access to the enclosure for one year to minimize stress and prevent any risk of disease transmission. Dr. Bhandara, who has previously treated 15 elephants for TB, expressed optimism that Madhubala and Malika would recover. He noted that both elephants are closely monitored and undergo health evaluations every two months, with full medical screenings scheduled every six months. Their most recent dose was administered 13 days ago. Visitors to the Safari Park are currently only allowed to view the elephants from designated buses or a safe distance, as part of efforts to ensure a stress-free environment during their recovery. The cautious approach follows years of concern raised by international animal welfare organizations over the treatment of elephants in Karachi. In 2021, the global group Four Paws assessed the city's African elephants and called for urgent medical care, improved nutrition and enriched environments to support their wellbeing. The issue gained further attention after the deaths of two elephants — Noor Jehan in 2023 at the Karachi Zoo and Sonia in late 2024 — both of which highlighted systemic gaps in animal care. Since then, local authorities have taken steps to improve conditions, including the formation of a technical committee and increased collaboration with foreign veterinary experts.
