Rahim Yar Khan Wildlife Park
| Rahim Yar Khan Wildlife Park | |
|---|---|
| وائلڈ لائف پارک رحیم یار خان | |
| 28°24′14″N 70°15′35″E / 28.40378°N 70.25965°E | |
| Date opened | 1986 |
| Location | Kacha Sadiqabad Road, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Land area | 15 acres (6.1 ha) |
| No. of animals | Varies |
| Memberships | Punjab Wildlife Department |
| Major exhibits | Nilgai, Chinkara, Blackbuck, Peafowl, Rhesus macaque |
Rahim Yar Khan Wildlife Park (Urdu: وائلڈ لائف پارک رحیم یار خان) is a public wildlife park and zoological garden situated on Kacha Sadiqabad Road near Tibbi Larran, about seven kilometres south-east of the city of Rahim Yar Khan in the Punjab province of Pakistan.[1]
Occupying roughly 15 acres (6.1 ha) of semi-arid land, it was opened by the Punjab Wildlife Department in 1986 as part of a provincial initiative to decentralise zoological facilities.[1] Despite a mandate that includes recreation, education and captive breeding, the park has drawn repeated criticism for under-funding, deteriorating infrastructure and animal welfare lapses.[2]
History
The present site of Rahim Yar Khan Wildlife Park was chosen in the mid-1980s when district authorities pledged an all-weather approach road and canal water for irrigation.[2] The park opened to the public in 1986 with bears, nilgai, chinkara, rhesus macaques, baboons and Indian peafowl.[2] A 2009 Dawn investigation described the boundary wall as crumbling, the sole tubewell out of order and visitor numbers in decline, compelling the transfer of several species to larger zoos in Lahore and Bahawalpur.[2]
In 2011, the provincial government allocated development funds for new cages, lawns and play equipment, but an April 2016 inspection found rusting materials still unused and lawns dried up because the promised turbine had not been installed.[1] The park administration at that time requested Rs 21.438 million for rehabilitation and extra keepers, but the scheme lapsed without full funding.[1]
Public scrutiny intensified on 8 August 2023 after a visitor's viral video showed carcasses of deer and langur left unburied, prompting deputy commissioner to order an inquiry and condemn "the worst failure" of the park's management.[3] On 13 August 2023, caretaker Wildlife Minister Bilal Afzal directed the South Punjab Wildlife Directorate to submit a detailed report by 16 August and warned that officials could face action under the Punjab Wildlife Act 1974.[4]
Species
In 2009, it housed 25 chinkara, 18 nilgai, 10 rhesus macaques, seven spotted deer, 20 peafowl and a single baboon.[2] By 2016, reporters counted 119 peafowl, 15 black deer, two barnacle geese, two blackbuck antelope, three monkeys, 16 ducks, two nilgai and a grey heron, many in weakened condition owing to inadequate feed and brackish water.[1] Rescue operations occasionally augment the collection: on 18 November 2024, wildlife staff took in a wounded Eurasian griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) captured near the M-5 Motorway for rehabilitation at the park.[5][6]
References
- ^ a b c d e Haq, Malik Irfanul (2016-04-18). "RYK wildlife park becomes a victim of neglect". Dawn. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
- ^ a b c d e "Rahim Yar Khan zoo in bad shape". Dawn. 2009-06-17. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
- ^ Haq, Malik Irfanul (2023-08-08). "Remains of animals and birds litter wildlife park". Dawn. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
- ^ "Inquiry begins into carcass in wildlife park". The Express Tribune. 2023-08-13. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
- ^ "Wounded vulture rescued". Dawn. 2024-11-18. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
- ^ "Rare vulture rescued by wildlife team in Rahim Yar Khan". The Express Tribune. 2024-11-18. Retrieved 2025-05-11.