Punjab Wildlife Department Facing Shortage of Wildlife Vets
Punjab Wildlife Department is facing shortage of wildlife vets. Zoo vet leaves country after having experience for better future due to lack of service structure in department. The wild vets are not trained during the study due to issues in curriculum and they get the chance to learn at the zoo. Dr. Babar and other wildlife experts demand the zoo veterinarian or wildlife veterinarian servxice structure and other facilities in Punjab. Wildlife department requested livestock department for veterinary doctors on deputation.
پنجاب کے چڑیا گھروں میں ویٹرنری ڈاکٹرز کی کمی، سرورس سٹرکچر نہ ہونے کے باعث بیرون ملک جانے لگے۔ محکمہ لائیوسٹاک سے ڈیپوٹیشن پر ڈاکٹر لینے کی درخواست
ڈائریکٹر جنرل وائلڈلائف کا جلو بریڈنگ سنٹر کا دورہ
نگران حکومت پنجاب کا چڑیا گھر انٹرنیشنل سٹینڈرڈ کے مطابق بنانے کا فیصلہ
Wildlife Vets Crisis in Punjab Zoos
There are reports of a crisis of veterinary doctors in zoos in Punjab. Due to the lack of service structure, veterinary doctors have started leaving their jobs in zoos and wildlife parks managed by Punjab Wildlife. In the last few years, several veterinary doctors from Lahore Zoo alone have gone abroad and currently Punjab Wildlife is facing a severe shortage of veterinary doctors. There is only one veterinary doctor to take care of animals and birds in Lahore Zoo, Lahore Safari Zoo and Wildlife Park Jallo.
Zoos Becoming Training Grounds for Veterinary Doctors
Punjab Wildlife’s zoos and wildlife parks have become testing grounds for veterinary doctors. Doctors practice in zoos for a few years and then go abroad after gaining experience.
During the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) course, doctors are not given any practice in treating and caring for wildlife, especially lions, tigers, elephants, giraffes and rhinos. When doctors are posted in a zoo or wildlife park, they learn to treat wild animals on the job and when they get a few years of experience, they go abroad for a better future. In the last few years, about a dozen veterinary doctors have left their jobs in wildlife parks and zoos and gone abroad. Dr. Babar Saleem is also among those doctors who have said goodbye to Lahore Zoo and are currently serving in a zoo in Qatar.
More Than Half of Wildlife Vets Posts Vacant
Punjab Wildlife currently has 14 seats of regular veterinary doctors, more than half of which are vacant. Both the veterinary doctors of Lahore Zoo, the oldest and most important in Punjab, have gone abroad on leave one after the other. The female doctor posted at Wildlife Park Jallo has also taken leave to pursue an MPhil, while other veterinary doctors have been absent from duty for a long time. Senior Dr. Rizwan, posted at Safari Zoo, is currently responsible for the care of animals at Lahore Zoo, Jallo and Safari.
Dr. Babar Saleem Highlights Lack of Infrastructure and Service Structure
Dr. Babar Saleem, who has been working in Qatar after serving as a veterinary doctor at Lahore Zoo for a long time, told The Express Tribune that there is no infrastructure or service structure in zoos. There is no senior doctor in the zoo from whom newcomers can learn. Due to this, when a new doctor comes, it takes him two to three years to understand wild animals, especially big cats, rhinos, giraffes and hippos, their temperament, their diseases and treatment. Due to this, the mortality rate of wild animals is also high.
He said that when a veterinary doctor thinks after four or five years that he can now take care of any zoo, then he goes abroad for a better future.
Several Lahore Zoo Wildlife Vets Left Pakistan
It should be noted that in the last few years, several doctors from Lahore Zoo alone have gone to Canada, UAE and Saudi Arabia. In the last few months, two female veterinary doctors from Lahore Zoo have also gone abroad. Among them, Dr. Madiha Ashraf is in Saudi Arabia while Dr. Warda Gul is in the UAE.
Punjab Wildlife Seeks Veterinary Doctors on Deputation
In this regard, Punjab Wildlife Deputy Director and Focal Person Mudassar Hassan, while talking to The Express Tribune, said that the DG Wildlife has sent a request to the Secretary Livestock in which he has been requested to send doctors to Punjab Wildlife on deputation.
He said that it is true that there is no service structure for veterinary doctors, but like other departments, Punjab Wildlife has a policy that veterinary doctors who are recruited in the 17th grade will be promoted to the 18th grade after ten years of service and will get the 19th grade after 20 years of service. There is only one post of the 19th grade in Punjab Wildlife, which is that of the director, but this too has been lying vacant for a long time.
The caretaker government of Punjab is currently working to bring Lahore Zoo and other zoos in the province up to international standards and work is being done on an emergency basis, but on the other hand, the government is not taking any steps regarding the training of veterinary doctors and zookeepers and their service.
Wildlife Vets Calls for Service Structure and Job Security
Speaking to The Express Tribune, the country’s renowned wildlife conservator Ashiq Ahmed Khan said that when you want to upgrade zoos and make them up to international standards, it does not mean just bringing new animals and birds and changing their habitats. For this, training of those who take care of the food and health of these animals is also necessary. These people should have job security. If you do not give better salary, facilities and job security to an employee, they will definitely go abroad.
He suggested that the government should regularize more than 70 percent of daily wage employees working in zoos, including creating a service structure for veterinary doctors, so that zoos can truly be made in line with international standards.
کراچی شارع فیصل پر شیر آگیا،ایک شہری پر حملہ
