Many of us have visited zoological gardens at least once in our lifetime when we were kids or teens and even in our young age as well. This visit can be our first interaction with different or may be unexpected species on one place, as these animal parks have dozens of attractions for visitors. For animal lovers, these visits may be meaningful to interact with those who are also sharing this earth with us.
When I was a kid, I went to Lahore’s famous zoo on The Mall with my family. When I entered the zoo, I saw a giraffe who was staring at me and I still remember that the tallest animal was smiling. At that moment, I felt like giraffe wanted to say ‘welcome’ to me. I was quick to respond with an open smile to this beautiful creature – which has a long neck and legs, horn-like ossicones, and distinctive coat patterns.
Anyhow, there are four main roles of the zoological gardens – conservation, research, education, and recreation. These zoos working as animal facilitation centres to help and give conservation to breeding animals to avoid extinction of any species. These gardens are necessary for majority of the animals, especially for endangered species who may survive in a better way in these selected places as compared to the jungle. In the wild, some species are facing different kinds of threats to their life.
In these days, poaching, deforestation, illegal trade, starving, poisonous food, and climate change are major challenges for the wildlife. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as many as 27,000 species are at risk for extinction throughout the world. These zoological gardens are educating us in many ways about extensive care towards animals, birds and other things that are part of the nature.
I still remember that zookeepers and other staff at Lahore’s zoo have good knowledge of animals and their behaviours. I am just thinking that the Lahore Zoo is at city’s centre and key roads with huge traffic and noise are creating disturbance for the inmates. The government should give a side space to this zoological garden so that animals and birds inside must feel the natural environment along with fresh air.
Written by Muhammad Huzaifa | Lahore
