Lion severely injures zoo keeper in Karachi

KARACHI: A lion got hold of a zookeeper and severely injured him at Karachi Zoo, on Monday. 

The keeper Kanoo was feeding the animal at around 5 PM, while the official time for feeding them according to zoo director, Qamar Ayub, is in the afternoon under the supervision of a zoologist and a veterinary doctor.

“According to Zoo Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), all animals are to be fed under the supervision of the Zoologist and a veterinary doctor.”

Ayub has blamed the keeper for the incident that took place, saying that he broke the rules. 

Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar also took notice and ordered an inquiry into the matter.

Kanoo has been feeding and cleaning cages of the animals from the past five years.

Ayub said the case was one of negligence, adding that all the staff members would be provided with adequate training to keep them safe from wild animals so that such an incident did not occur again.

An inquiry will be conducted against the keeper for going against the SOPs. 

The animal has to be fed from the back of the cage, Ayub said.