Authorities have started preparations to transfer Rano, a bear currently residing in Karachi Zoo, to Gilgit-Baltistan as per the directives of the Sindh High Court (SHC).
Earlier this month, SHC ordered the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to relocate the animal from the Karachi Zoological Gardens to the Bear Sanctuary run by the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board within two days, ending the years-long plight of the brown bear.
Today, Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah chaired a high-level meeting at the Sindh Secretariat to review arrangements for Rano’s relocation, secretary’s spokesperson Farhat Imtiaz Janwari said in a statement.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Forest and Wildlife, Municipal Commissioner KMC, Conservator of Sindh Wildlife Department, representatives of Islamabad Wildlife Management Board and other wildlife experts.
The participants briefed the chief secretary on the progress made so far regarding the transfer of the bear, the statement added. The Sindh Wildlife Department informed the meeting that a specially designed iron cage meeting all safety standards had been prepared for the relocation of Rano.
“It was further reported that wildlife experts and trainers are currently participating in daily training sessions to help Rano comfortably adapt to the new cage.”
Dr Aamir and Ms Abida Raees of Karachi Zoo, rangers Abbas, Anees and Sanna Raja of Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, and wildlife trainer Abid of Sindh Wildlife Department are jointly supervising Rano’s behavioral training, the statement said.
According to experts, Rano has shown a positive response to the training. He has developed a friendly bond with ranger Sanna Raja and eagerly awaits her daily visits near the cage. Rano has also started eating honey directly from Sanna’s hand, indicating great confidence and progress in his behavioral adaptation.
Shah ordered that Rano should not be forcibly captured or sedated during the transfer process. He stressed that the bear must voluntarily enter the transport cage through gradual and positive reinforcement training methods.
The chief secretary also directed that the entire transfer process be video recorded for documentation and transparency. He also directed the Sindh Wildlife Department to ensure that all arrangements in Islamabad are completed before Rano’s transfer.
As per the order of the Sindh High Court, Rano will be transferred first to Islamabad and then to her final destination, the sanctuary in Gilgit-Baltistan.
He further directed the Wildlife Department to refer a case to the Sindh Cabinet proposing a complete ban on the import of exotic (non-native) animals.
Shah observed that exotic animals suffer from depression and trauma due to lack of natural habitat and climatic compatibility in captivity.
He added that Pakistan is a party to several international conventions, including the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Chief Secretary Shah emphasized that wildlife protection and ethical handling of animals must be ensured in all zoos and wildlife habitats in Sindh in accordance with local and international standards.
Rano, a Himalayan brown bear, reportedly languishing in an empty cage, was brought to the Karachi Zoo in 2017 along with an Asian black bear that died in 2020.
Earlier this month, the bear was being treated for a head injury, and a zoo official said she had previously been treated for the same injury, which she likely suffered after hitting the metal bars of her cage.
In January, the KMC, following the mayor’s directives, had notified a three-member committee to assess Rano’s condition, in a bid to address concerns about his well-being.
The committee, in its report, recommended that “the species may be immediately transferred to Balkasar Bear Sanctuary” (the only bear-specific sanctuary in Pakistan) and suggested that Rano’s DNA be tested to identify its exact species.
While the committee expressed satisfaction with the bear’s diet and physical health and found no wounds or injuries on its body, it observed “unusual behavior” from the brown bear, suggesting it was “under stress.”
The team also noticed “a loud noise” during the visit and said it appeared to be “beyond the allowable decibels.”
Animal rights activists say Rano is a Himalayan brown bear, a critically endangered species, and not a Syrian species as zoo officials claim.
