Karachi’s second elephant Madhubala catches fatal infection, a month after death of Noor Jehan

KARACHI – A month after the death of Noor Jehan, an elephant in Karachi Zoo whose illness revived criticisms of the zoos, a second elephant named Madhubala is sick with a potentially fatal infection.

The 18-year-old elephant was living in isolation since April when her partner Noor Jehan died in the most tragic way. Lately, a vets team of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), diagnosed the infection in blood samples of an ailing cow.

A zoo official told a local publication that Madhubala likely got the infection from her former partner whose postmortem report reveals that she died from blood parasite disease.

Official, who made the revelations on condition of anonymity, revealed that Madhubala received some treatment for the illness which will continue till the next samples. The ailing animal reportedly received treatment before the infection reaches an advanced stage.

Earlier, it was reported that Karachi is allotting more than an acre of land for Madhubala, at Safari Park, after the tragic death of elephant Noor Jehan last week. Madhubala would receive training in addition to a container being prepared for her. The shifting process is reportedly in the first phase as the area had not been in use for 50 years; it was a complete jungle.