A Case Study of Noor Jehan: One Welfare Analysis of Systemic Neglect and Crisis Management for a Captive African Elephant (Loxodonta Africana) At Karachi Zoo, Pakistan

Abstract

This case study casts an unflattering light on the untimely death of Noor Jehan, a 17 years old African elephant (Loxodonta africana) in the Karachi Zoo in April 2023, who has become an event that has marked a watershed moment for animal welfare practice in Pakistan. Using the One Welfare framework, the analysis shows how the death of confined megafauna reflects broader institutional decay and makes links between animal suffering on one hand, and inadequacies in human governance and management of the environment. The investigation caused the demise of Noor Jehan to be attributed to "systemic neglect" in light of a 19th Century Colonial paradigm of zoo. This antiquated model valued public display over biological needs so the elephant was imprisoned in a concrete enclosure which was biomechanically harmful and caused fatal musculoskeletal injuries. The paper outlines the resulting administrative crisis, highlighting a reactionary culture under huge chronic underfunding, significant lack of veterinary expertise and bureaucratic inertia which failed to react to early warning signals. The paper describes the emergency response coordinated by the City Administrator that broke down traditional bureaucratic obstacles to establish a specialist medical committee and recruit international experts from Four Paws. Despite fierce palliative intervention, including the redesign of enclosure with sand mounds and the implementation of heavy logistics of a heavy lift Noora Jehan succumbed to Trypanosomiasis, a parasitic infection which overrode her compromised immune system. The paper argues that this tragedy has catalyzed a critical paradigm shift in Pakistan, with the focus shifting from exhibition centered care to sanctuary-based care. The document concludes with urgent demands for legislative change and that covers the banning of wild caught imports, the compulsory use of soft substrates and the development of species-specific veterinary protocols to ensure future catastrophes are avoided.