A seven-year-old white lioness has died at Sehr Bagh Bahawalpur Zoo, sparking urgent questions about the welfare of animals held in captivity.
The rare big cat, who was yet to breed, was found dead in her enclosure on Friday morning, only hours after staff reported that she appeared to be in good health and had been fed normally the previous evening.
While Bahawalpur Division Deputy Chief Wildlife Ranger (DCWR) Mujahid Kaleem stated that the post-mortem report concluded the cause of death was cardiac arrest, the suddenness of the event has triggered significant public speculation.
The lioness was shifted to Sher Bagh three-years ago along with two white lions.
Mr Kaleem has firmly denied any failure on the part of the staff, insisting that the lioness received proper care and exhibited no prior signs of illness. Despite the assurances, the administration has announced that a committee will be formed to conduct a thorough, formal probe into the incident.
