Lahore Zoo in Lahore

Lahore

Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...

, Punjab

Punjab (Pakistan)

Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...

, Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

, established in 1872, one of the largest zoos in South Asia

South Asia

South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...

. It is currently managed by the Wildlife and Parks department of the Government of Pakistan

Government of Pakistan

The Government of Pakistan is a federal parliamentary system, with an indirectly-elected President as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces, and an indirectly-elected Prime Minister as the Head of Government. The President’s appointment and term are...

. Today the zoo houses a collection of about 1380 animals of 136 species. Lahore Zoo was the host of the fifth annual conference of SAZARC

South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation

The South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation or is an organization for South Asian zoos and aquariums. SAZARC was established on August 4, 2000 at the first meeting of South Asian Zoos, held at Central Zoo, Kathmandu, Nepal, initiated by the Zoo Outreach Organisation . It became a...

 in 2004.
The stated mission of the zoo is:
Lahore Zoo is thought to be the third or fourth oldest zoo in the world. Vienna Zoo

Tiergarten Schönbrunn

Tiergarten Schönbrunn or Vienna Zoo is a zoo located on the grounds of the famous Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria...

 of Austria

Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

, established in 1752 as a menagerie

Menagerie

A menagerie is/was a form of keeping common and exotic animals in captivity that preceded the modern zoological garden. The term was first used in seventeenth century France in reference to the management of household or domestic stock. Later, it came to be used primarily in reference to...

, was opened to public as a zoo in 1779. London Zoo of England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

, established in 1828, was opened to public in 1847. The Alipore Zoo

Alipore Zoological Gardens

The Alipore Zoological Gardens is India's oldest formally stated zoological park and a big tourist attraction in Kolkata, West Bengal. It has been open as a zoo since 1876, and covers...

 of India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, established some time in the early 19th century, was opened to public as a zoo in 1876.

History

Lahore Zoo had its beginnings in a small aviary

Aviary

An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds. Unlike cages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages...

 donated by Lal Mahundra Ram in 1872 to the Lahore Municipal Corporation. Over time the animal collection increased and the zoo expanded. It later began to take interest in conservation, education and research in addition to providing recreational facilities to the public. By 2010, the zoo was home to about 1280 trees of 71 species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 and 1380 animals of 136 species including 996 bird

Bird

Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...

s of 82 species, 49 reptile

Reptile

Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...

s of 8 and 336 mammal

Mammal

Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...

s of 45 species.

The zoo was managed by the Lahore Municipal Corporation from 1872 to 1923, when management was turned over to the Deputy Commissioner of Lahore. Management was transferred to the Livestock and Dairy Development department in 1962, and then to the Wildlife and Parks department in 1982. Between its founding in 1872 and its turnover to the Wildlife and Parks department in 1982 there was very little development at the zoo. Since 1982, it has upgraded its exhibits, layout, and landscaping, and has become a self-financing organization.

A master planning, improvement and development project of 18 months duration was approved in on July 25, 2005. It was carried out by 'Zoo Maintenance Committee' and sponsored by Planning and Development Department of Government of Punjab. The project cost around 202.830 million Pakistani rupee

Pakistani rupee

The rupee is the currency of Pakistan. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the State Bank of Pakistan, the central bank of the country. The most commonly used symbol for the rupee is Rs, used on receipts when purchasing goods and services. In Pakistan, the rupee is referred to as the...

s and aimed for the improvement and addition of facilities.

Animal exhibits

• Fancy Aviary is as old as the zoo itself as it started as an aviary
  Aviary
  An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds. Unlike cages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages...
  
   in 1872. The section houses a number of bird species, most of which are parrots, fowls
  Galliformes
  Galliformes are an order of heavy-bodied ground-feeding domestic or game bird, containing turkey, grouse, chicken, New and Old World Quail, ptarmigan, partridge, pheasant, and the Cracidae. Common names are gamefowl or gamebirds, landfowl, gallinaceous birds or galliforms...
  
  , doves and pigeons
  Columbiformes
  Columbiformes are an avian order that includes the very widespread and successful doves and pigeons, classified in the family Columbidae, and the extinct Dodo and the Rodrigues Solitaire, long classified as a second family Raphidae. 313 species, found worldwide, comprise the Columbiformes order....
  
   and birds of prey
  Accipitriformes
  The Accipitriformes is an order that has been proposed to include most of the diurnal birds of prey: hawks, eagles, vultures, and many others, about 225 species in all. For a long time, the majority view has been to include them with the falcons in the Falconiformes, but some authorities have...
  
  . Other species housed are European rabbit
  European Rabbit
  The European Rabbit or Common Rabbit is a species of rabbit native to south west Europe and north west Africa . It has been widely introduced elsewhere often with devastating effects on local biodiversity...
  
  s, Indian crested porcupines, spur-thighed tortoises, Indian wolves
  Indian Wolf
  Indian wolf and Iranian Wolf are two common names for Canis lupus pallipes, a subspecies of grey wolf which inhabits western India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and southern Israel. Some experts have suggested at least some C. lupus pallipes populations be re-classified a canid species...
  
  , a wild boar and a jungle cat
  Jungle Cat
  The jungle cat is a medium-sized cat and considered the largest remaining species of the wild cat genus Felis. The species is also called the swamp lynx but is not closely related to the lynxes....
  
  .
• Tiger House was constructed in 1872 for a few hundred rupees
  Pakistani rupee
  The rupee is the currency of Pakistan. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the State Bank of Pakistan, the central bank of the country. The most commonly used symbol for the rupee is Rs, used on receipts when purchasing goods and services. In Pakistan, the rupee is referred to as the...
  
   and renovated in 1987 at a cost of about 5.1 million rupees. It has seven rooms and two moats which currently house Bengal tiger
  Bengal Tiger
  The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
  
  s and lion
  Lion
  The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
  
  s. A bear pit
  Bear pit
  A bear pit was historically used to display bears, typically for entertainment and especially bear-baiting. The pit area was normally surrounded by a high fence, above which the spectators would look down on the bears....
  
   exhibits a pair and two cubs of Asian black bears. Other animals include a pair of leopard
  Leopard
  The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
  
  s and a pair of cougars.
• Elephant House was constructed in 1972 at a cost of about 500,000 rupees
  Pakistani rupee
  The rupee is the currency of Pakistan. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the State Bank of Pakistan, the central bank of the country. The most commonly used symbol for the rupee is Rs, used on receipts when purchasing goods and services. In Pakistan, the rupee is referred to as the...
  
  . It has three rooms and three moats. It houses three endangered species
  Endangered species
  An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
  
   endemic to Africa
  Africa
  Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
  
  : a pair of hippos
  Hippopotamus
  The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
  
   (named 'Raja' and 'Rani'), two white rhinoceros
  White Rhinoceros
  The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros is one of the five species of rhinoceros that still exist. It has a wide mouth used for grazing and is the most social of all rhino species...
  
   and a female African bush elephant
  African Bush Elephant
  The African Bush Elephant or African Savanna Elephant is the larger of the two species of African elephant. Both it and the African Forest Elephant have usually been classified as a single species, known simply as the African Elephant...
  
   (named 'Suzi'). Suzi was brought to the zoo in 1972 on its 100th anniversary.
• Giraffe House is home to a variable number of plains zebras
  Plains Zebra
  The plains zebra , also known as the common zebra or Burchell's zebra, is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. It ranges from the south of Ethiopia through East Africa to as far south as Angola and eastern South Africa...
  
   and Dromedary camels, a pair of giraffe
  Giraffe
  The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
  
  s (named 'Twinkle' and 'Sunny'), two Bactrian camels
  Bactrian camel
  The Bactrian camel is a large, even-toed ungulate native to the steppes of central Asia. It is presently restricted in the wild to remote regions of the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts of Mongolia and Xinjiang. A small number of wild Bactrian camels still roam the Mangystau Province of southwest...
  
   and a llama
  Llama
  The llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since pre-Hispanic times....
  
  . It also exhibits three species of flightless birds or ratite
  Ratite
  A ratite is any of a diverse group of large, flightless birds of Gondwanan origin, most of them now extinct. Unlike other flightless birds, the ratites have no keel on their sternum—hence the name from the Latin ratis...
  
  s: emu
  Emu
  The Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia...
  
  , ostrich
  Ostrich
  The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
  
   and Southern cassowary
  Southern Cassowary
  The Southern Cassowary, Casuarius casuarius, also known as Double-wattled Cassowary, Australian Cassowary or Two-wattled Cassowary, is a large flightless black bird...
  
  .
• Deer House contains more mammals than any other house in the zoo, including axis deer
  Chital
  The chital or cheetal , also known as chital deer, spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and in small numbers in Pakistan...
  
   (Chital), blue bull
  Nilgai
  The nilgai , sometimes called nilgau, is an antelope, and is one of the most commonly seen wild animals of central and northern India and eastern Pakistan; it is also present in parts of southern Nepal. The mature males appear ox-like and are also known as blue bulls...
  
   (Nilgai), fallow deer
  Fallow Deer
  The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. This common species is native to western Eurasia, but has been introduced widely elsewhere. It often includes the rarer Persian Fallow Deer as a subspecies , while others treat it as an entirely different species The Fallow...
  
  , Indian gazelle
  Chinkara
  The Chinkara is a species of gazelle found in south Asia.-Habitat and Distribution:It lives in grasslands and desert areas in India, Bangladesh and parts of Iran and Pakistan...
  
   (Chinkara), red deer
  Red Deer
  The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
  
  , Sika deer
  Sika Deer
  The Sika Deer, Cervus nippon, also known as the Spotted Deer or the Japanese Deer, is a species of deer native to much of East Asia and introduced to various other parts of the world...
  
  , the near-threatened species of blackbuck
  Blackbuck
  Blackbuck is a species of antelope native to the Indian subcontinent. Their range decreased sharply during the 20th century. Since 2003, the IUCN lists the species as near threatened....
  
   and Mouflon
  Mouflon
  The mouflon is a subspecies group of the wild sheep Ovis aries. Populations of Ovis aries can be partitioned into the mouflons and urials or arkars...
  
   as well as threatened species of hog deer
  Hog Deer
  The Hog Deer is a small deer whose habitat ranges from Pakistan, through northern India, to mainland southeast Asia...
  
  , sambar and urial
  Urial
  The Urial , also known as the Arkars or Shapo, is a subspecies group of the wild sheep Ovis orientalis. Noticeable features are the reddish-brown long fur that fades during winter; males are characterized by a black ruff stretching from the neck to the chest and large horns. It is found in western...
  
  . It also houses red-necked wallabies
  Red-necked Wallaby
  The Red-necked Wallaby is a medium-sized marsupial macropod, common in the more temperate and fertile parts of eastern Australia, including Tasmania.- Description :...
  
  .
• Monkey House gained popularity when a pair of chimpanzee
  Chimpanzee
  Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
  
  s were introduced in 1994 and gave birth to triplets. As of June 2010, only three chimpanzees remain. Other animals in the section include black-footed gray langurs
  Black-footed Gray Langur
  The black-footed gray langur is an Old World monkey, one of the species of langurs. This, like other gray langurs, is a leaf-eating monkey found in south India.-References:...
  
  , olive baboons
  Olive Baboon
  The olive baboon , also called the Anubis baboon, is a member of the family Cercopithecidae . The species is the most widely spread of all baboons: it is found in 25 countries throughout Africa, extending south from Mali to Ethiopia and to Tanzania. Isolated populations are also found in some...
  
  , capuchin monkey
  Capuchin monkey
  The capuchins are New World monkeys of the genus Cebus. The range of capuchin monkeys includes Central America and South America as far south as northern Argentina...
  
  s, rhesus monkeys and vervet monkeys
  Vervet Monkey
  The vervet monkey , or simply vervet, is an Old World monkey of the family Cercopithecidae native to Africa. The term "vervet" is also used to refer to all the members of the genus Chlorocebus....
  
  .
• Crocodile Ponds are one of the more popular exhibits of the zoo. One pond houses two female gharial
  Gharial
  The gharial , , also called Indian gavial or gavial, is the only surviving member of the once well-represented family Gavialidae, a long-established group of crocodilians with long, slender snouts...
  
  s (locally called 'gavial'). Another large pond houses a variety of aquatic birds including great white pelicans, greater flamingo
  Greater Flamingo
  The Greater Flamingo is the most widespread species of the flamingo family. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia , and southern Europe...
  
  s, mute swan
  Mute Swan
  The Mute Swan is a species of swan, and thus a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is native to much of Europe and Asia, and the far north of Africa. It is also an introduced species in North America, Australasia and southern Africa. The name 'mute' derives from it being less...
  
  s and black swan
  Black Swan
  The Black Swan is a large waterbird, a species of swan, which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. The species was hunted to extinction in New Zealand, but later reintroduced. Within Australia they are nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent upon climatic...
  
  s. Another area is home to a European otter
  European Otter
  The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
  
  .
• Snake House is the serpentarium
  Serpentarium
  A serpentarium is a reptile zoo or reptile park specializing in snakes. Many serpentariums milk snakes for venom for medical and scientific research.-History:The Miami Serpentarium opened in 1948 and closed in 1984.-Notable serpentariums:...
  
   of the Lahore Zoo. It was closed in June 2007 when about 20 snakes died because of suffocation. After being renovated, it was reopened on April 30, 2010. The exhibit houses species including Indian cobra
  Indian Cobra
  Indian Cobra or Spectacled Cobra is a species of the genus Naja found in the Indian subcontinent and a member of the "big four", the four species which inflict the most snakebites in India. This snake is revered in Indian mythology and culture, and is often seen with snake charmers...
  
  , Indian phython, Indian sand boa and Russell's viper
  Daboia
  Daboia is a monotypic genus of venomous Old World viper. The single species, D. russelii, is found in Asia throughout the Indian subcontinent, much of Southeast Asia, southern China and Taiwan...
  
  .

Exotic flora

Lahore Zoo has about 1280 trees of 71 species. Many of the exotic species have information boards to promote education. Some of these are listed below:

• Alstonia scholaris
  Alstonia scholaris
  Alstonia scholaris Alstonia scholaris Alstonia scholaris (Apocynaceae, commonly called Blackboard tree, Indian devil tree, Ditabark, Milkwood pine, White cheesewood and Pulai; syn. Echites scholaris L. Mant., Pala scholaris L...
  
  - locally termed Ditabark - native to South Asia
  South Asia
  South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
  
  
• Bombax malabaricum
  Bombax ceiba
  Bombax ceiba, like other trees of the genus Bombax, is commonly known as cotton tree or tree cotton. This tropical tree has a straight tall trunk and its leaves are deciduous in winter. Red flowers with 5 petals appear in the spring before the new foliage. It produces a capsule which, when ripe,...
  
  - locally termed Sunbal or Silk Cotton Tree - native to Himalayas
  Himalayas
  The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
  
  
• Callistemon citrinus
  Callistemon citrinus
  Callistemon citrinus, also known as Crimson Bottlebrush is a shrub in the family Myrtaceae. It is native to the states of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria in Australia, occurring in the vicinity of rocky streams and near-coastal swamps....
  
  - locally termed Bottle Brush - native to Australia
  Australia
  Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
  
  
• Dalbergia sissoo
  Dalbergia sissoo
  Dalbergia sissoo, known as Shisham, is an erect deciduous tree, native to the Indian Subcontinent. It is also called sissoo, sisu, sheesham, tahli and sometimes referred to as Indian Rosewood. It is state tree of Punjab state and provincial tree of Punjab province...
  
  - locally termed Shisham - native to South Asia
  South Asia
  South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
  
  
• Delonix regia - locally termed Gulmohar - native to Madagascar
  Madagascar
  The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
  
  
• Erythrina suberosa
  Erythrina
  Erythrina is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. It contains about 130 species, which are distributed in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. They are trees, growing up to in height...
  
  - locally termed Coral or Gul Nister - native to Burma
• Ficus benghalensis
  Ficus benghalensis
  Ficus benghalensis, the banyan, is a large and extensive growing tree of the Indian subcontinent. Ficus benghalensis produces propagating roots which grow downwards as aerial roots. Once these roots reach the ground, they grow into woody trunks that can become indistinguishable from the main...
  
  - locally termed Banyan - native to Bangladesh
  Bangladesh
  Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
  
  
• Ficus religiosa - locally termed Pipal - native to South Asia
  South Asia
  South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
  
  
• Ficus retusa
  Ficus retusa
  Ficus retusa, or Ficus microcarpa, also known as Cuban-laurel is "a rapidly-growing, rounded, broad-headed, evergreen tree can reach 15 metres or more in height with an equal spread. The glossy, dark green, leathery leaves are densely clothed on large, somewhat weeping branches and are usually...
  
  - locally termed Bobari - native to Malaysia
• Kigelia pinnata - locally termed Gul-e-Fanoos or Sausage - native to Africa
  Africa
  Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
  
  
• Livistona chinensis
  Livistona
  Livistona is a genus of 36 species of palms , native to southern and southeastern Asia, Australasia, and the Horn of Africa...
  
  - locally termed Bottle Palm - native to China
  China
  Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
  
  
• Mangifera indica
  Mangifera indica
  Mangifera indica is a species of mango in the Anacardiaceae family. It is found in the wild in India and cultivated varieties have been introduced to other warm regions of the world...
  
  - locally termed Aam - native to South Asia
  South Asia
  South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
  
  
• Mimusops elengi
  Mimusops elengi
  Mimusops elengi is a medium-sized evergreen tree found in tropical forests in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Northern Australia. English common names include Spanish cherry,, Medlar, and Bullet wood...
  
  - locally termed Molsery - native to South Asia
  South Asia
  South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
  
  
• Pongamia pinnata - locally termed Sukh Chayn or Indian Beech - native to Himalayas
  Himalayas
  The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
  
  
• Syzygium cumini - locally termed Jamu - native to South Asia
  South Asia
  South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
  
  
• Ziziphus zizyphus - locally termed Jujube - native to Himalayas
  Himalayas
  The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
  
  

Safari park

Lahore Zoo Safari was opened on January 21, 2009, a renovation of Lahore Wildlife Park (also called Woodland Wildlife Park) which was established in 1982. The Safari is located on Raiwind Road about 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) from the Lahore Zoo. The species housed here include Indian peafowl

Indian Peafowl

The Indian Peafowl or Blue Peafowl is a large and brightly coloured bird of the pheasant family native to South Asia, but introduced and semi-feral in many other parts of the world...

, Bengal tiger

Bengal Tiger

The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...

, common pheasant

Common Pheasant

The Common Pheasant , is a bird in the pheasant family . It is native to Georgia and has been widely introduced elsewhere as a game bird. In parts of its range, namely in places where none of its relatives occur such as in Europe , it is simply known as the "pheasant"...

, emu

Emu

The Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia...

, lion

Lion

The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...

, mute swan

Mute Swan

The Mute Swan is a species of swan, and thus a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is native to much of Europe and Asia, and the far north of Africa. It is also an introduced species in North America, Australasia and southern Africa. The name 'mute' derives from it being less...

, nilgai

Nilgai

The nilgai , sometimes called nilgau, is an antelope, and is one of the most commonly seen wild animals of central and northern India and eastern Pakistan; it is also present in parts of southern Nepal. The mature males appear ox-like and are also known as blue bulls...

, ostrich

Ostrich

The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...

 and silver pheasant

Silver Pheasant

The Silver Pheasant is a species of pheasant found in forests, mainly in mountains, of mainland Southeast Asia, and eastern and southern China, with introduced populations in Hawaii and various locations in the US mainland. The male is black and white, while the female is mainly brown...

 among a few others. The wildlife park is now considered to be an extension of Lahore Zoo.

The Government of Pakistan

Government of Pakistan

The Government of Pakistan is a federal parliamentary system, with an indirectly-elected President as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces, and an indirectly-elected Prime Minister as the Head of Government. The President’s appointment and term are...

 turned management of the wildlife park over to the Zoo Maintenance Committee headed by the Chairman of the Punjab

Punjab (Pakistan)

Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...

 branch of the Wildlife & Parks department. Vice-chairman Tauqeer Shah said this transfer of control was due to poor previous management that was not working to improve the park. A ticket system was introduced in the wildlife park so that the Lahore Zoo Safari could become a semi-autonomous, self-financed organization.

Species list

Aves

Accipitriformes

Accipitriformes

The Accipitriformes is an order that has been proposed to include most of the diurnal birds of prey: hawks, eagles, vultures, and many others, about 225 species in all. For a long time, the majority view has been to include them with the falcons in the Falconiformes, but some authorities have...

• Black Kite
  Black Kite
  The Black Kite is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors. Unlike others of the group, they are opportunistic hunters and are more likely to scavenge. They spend a lot of time soaring and gliding in thermals in search of food. Their...
  
  
• Common Kestrel
  Common Kestrel
  The Common Kestrel is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European Kestrel, Eurasian Kestrel, or Old World Kestrel. In Britain, where no other brown falcon occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".This species...
  
  
• Golden Eagle
  Golden Eagle
  The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
  
  
• Steppe Eagle
  Steppe Eagle
  The Steppe Eagle is a bird of prey. It is about in length and has a wingspan of . Females, weighing 2.3–4.9 kg , are slightly larger than males, at 2–3.5 kg . Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae...
  
  
• White-eyed Buzzard
  White-eyed Buzzard
  The White-eyed Buzzard is a medium sized hawk, unrelated to the true buzzards of the genus Buteo, found in South Asia. Adults are characteristic, having a rufous tail, a distinctive white iris and a white throat with a contrasting mesial stripe and bordered by dark moustachial stripes. The head is...
  
  

Anseriformes

Anseriformes

The order Anseriformes contains about 150 living species of birds in three extant families: the Anhimidae , Anseranatidae , and the Anatidae, which includes over 140 species of waterfowl, among them the ducks, geese, and swans.All species in the order are highly adapted for an aquatic existence at...

• Bar-headed Goose
  Bar-headed Goose
  The Bar-headed Goose is a goose which breeds in Central Asia in colonies of thousands near mountain lakes and winters in South Asia, as far south as peninsular India. It lays three to eight eggs at a time in a ground nest....
  
  
• Black Swan
  Black Swan
  The Black Swan is a large waterbird, a species of swan, which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. The species was hunted to extinction in New Zealand, but later reintroduced. Within Australia they are nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent upon climatic...
  
  
• Common Shelduck
  Common Shelduck
  The Common Shelduck is a waterfowl species shelduck genus Tadorna. It is widespread and common in Eurasia, mainly breeding in temperate and wintering in subtropical regions; in winter, it can also be found in the Maghreb...
  
  
• Common Teal
  Common Teal
  The Eurasian Teal or Common Teal is a common and widespread duck which breeds in temperate Eurasia and migrates south in winter. The Eurasian Teal is often called simply the Teal due to being the only one of these small dabbling ducks in much of its range...
  
  
• Eurasian Wigeon
• Gadwall
  Gadwall
  The Gadwall is a common and widespread duck of the family Anatidae.- Description :The Gadwall is 46–56 cm long with a 78–90 cm wingspan. The male is slightly larger than the female, weighing on average 990 g against her 850 g...
  
  
• Greater White-fronted Goose
• Greylag Goose
  Greylag Goose
  The Greylag Goose , Anser anser, is a bird with a wide range in the Old World. It is the type species of the genus Anser....
  
   (Domestic Goose)
• Mallard
  Mallard
  The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
  
  
• Muscovy Duck
  Muscovy Duck
  The Muscovy Duck is a large duck which is native to Mexico and Central and South America. A small wild population reaches into the United States in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas...
  
  
• Mute Swan
  Mute Swan
  The Mute Swan is a species of swan, and thus a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is native to much of Europe and Asia, and the far north of Africa. It is also an introduced species in North America, Australasia and southern Africa. The name 'mute' derives from it being less...
  
  
• New Zealand Scaup
  New Zealand Scaup
  The New Zealand Scaup commonly known as a Black teal, is a diving duck species of the genus Aythya. It is endemic to New Zealand. In Maori commonly known as papango, also matapouri, titiporangi, raipo .-Description:...
  
  
• Red Shoveler
  Red Shoveler
  The Red Shoveler , formerly known as Red Shoveller, is a species of dabbling duck of the genus Anas. It is found in southern South America, in Argentina, southern Peru, southern Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, southern Brazil, and Chile...
  
  
• Ruddy Shelduck
  Ruddy Shelduck
  The Ruddy Shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea, is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae...
  
  
• Wood Duck
  Wood Duck
  The Wood Duck or Carolina Duck is a species of duck found in North America. It is one of the most colourful of North American waterfowl.-Description:...
  
  

Columbiformes

Columbiformes

Columbiformes are an avian order that includes the very widespread and successful doves and pigeons, classified in the family Columbidae, and the extinct Dodo and the Rodrigues Solitaire, long classified as a second family Raphidae. 313 species, found worldwide, comprise the Columbiformes order....

• Rock Pigeon
  Rock Pigeon
  The Rock Dove or Rock Pigeon, is a member of the bird family Columbidae . In common usage, this bird is often simply referred to as the "pigeon"....
  
  
  • Black Sherazi Pigeon
  • Indian Fantail Pigeon
    Indian Fantail
    The Indian Fantail is a breed of fancy pigeon developed over many years of selective breeding. Indian Fantails, along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons are all descendants from the Rock Pigeon ....
    
    
• Western Crowned Pigeon
  Western Crowned Pigeon
  The Western Crowned Pigeon, also known as the Common Crowned Pigeon or Blue Crowned Pigeon, Goura cristata, is a large, blue-grey pigeon with blue lacy crests over the head and dark blue mask feathers around its eyes. Both sexes are almost similar but males are often larger than females...
  
  

Galliformes

Galliformes

Galliformes are an order of heavy-bodied ground-feeding domestic or game bird, containing turkey, grouse, chicken, New and Old World Quail, ptarmigan, partridge, pheasant, and the Cracidae. Common names are gamefowl or gamebirds, landfowl, gallinaceous birds or galliforms...

• Black Partridge
  Black Partridge
  The Black Partridge also known as the Black Wood Partridge, is a small partridge with a thick bill, grey legs and dark brown iris. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Melanoperdix....
  
  
• Chukar Partridge
• Common Pheasant
  Common Pheasant
  The Common Pheasant , is a bird in the pheasant family . It is native to Georgia and has been widely introduced elsewhere as a game bird. In parts of its range, namely in places where none of its relatives occur such as in Europe , it is simply known as the "pheasant"...
  
  
• Emerald Peafowl
  hybrid of Green Peafowl and Indian Peafowl
• Golden Pheasant
  Golden Pheasant
  The Golden Pheasant or "Chinese Pheasant", is a gamebird of the order Galliformes and the family Phasianidae...
  
  
  • Yellow Pheasant (mutation)
• Green Peafowl
  Green Peafowl
  The Green Peafowl or Javan Peafowl, Pavo muticus is a large Galliform bird that is found in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia...
  
  
• Grey Francolin
  Grey Francolin
  The Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus is a species of francolin found in the plains and drier parts of South Asia...
  
  
• Grey Partridge
  Grey Partridge
  The Grey Partridge, Perdix perdix, also known as the English Partridge, Hungarian Partridge, or Hun, is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds...
  
  
• Indian Peafowl
  Indian Peafowl
  The Indian Peafowl or Blue Peafowl is a large and brightly coloured bird of the pheasant family native to South Asia, but introduced and semi-feral in many other parts of the world...
  
  
  • Black Shouldered Peafowl
  • Common Blue Peafowl
  • Pied Peafowl
  • White Peafowl
• Silver Pheasant
  Silver Pheasant
  The Silver Pheasant is a species of pheasant found in forests, mainly in mountains, of mainland Southeast Asia, and eastern and southern China, with introduced populations in Hawaii and various locations in the US mainland. The male is black and white, while the female is mainly brown...
  
  
• Swinhoe's Pheasant
  Swinhoe's Pheasant
  Swinhoe's Pheasant, Lophura swinhoii, is a bird of the pheasant subfamily of Phasianidae family that is endemic to Taiwan, where it inhabits primary broadleaved forest and mature secondary forest at 200-2,300 m. It was sometimes referred to as the unofficial "national bird" of Taiwan, but the...
  
  
• Vulturine Guineafowl
  Vulturine Guineafowl
  The Vulturine Guineafowl is the largest extant guineafowl species.Systematically, Acryllium are only distantly related to other guineafowl genera. Their closest living relative, the White Breasted Guineafowl, Agelastes meleagrides inhabit primary forests in Central Africa. bird family,...
  
  
• Wild Turkey
  Wild Turkey
  The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
  
  

Gruiformes

Gruiformes

The Gruiformes are an order containing a considerable number of living and extinct bird families, with a widespread geographical diversity. Gruiform means "crane-like"....

• Demoiselle Crane
  Demoiselle Crane
  The Demoiselle Crane, Anthropoides virgo, is a species of crane that breeds in Central Asia and winters in India, with a few found in Cyprus and eastern Turkey as well. The crane annually migrates to Africa and South Asia in winter...
  
  
• Eurasian Coot
  Eurasian Coot
  The Eurasian Coot, Fulica atra, also known as Coot, is a member of the rail and crake bird family, the Rallidae. The Australian subspecies is known as the Australian Coot.-Distribution:...
  
  
• Houbara Bustard
  Houbara Bustard
  The Houbara Bustard, Chlamydotis undulata, is a large bird in the bustard family.-Description:The Houbara Bustard is a small to mid-sized bustard. It measures in length and spans across the wings. It is brown above and white below, with a black stripe down the sides of its neck. In flight, the...
  
  

Pelecaniformes

Pelecaniformes

The Pelecaniformes is a order of medium-sized and large waterbirds found worldwide. As traditionally—but erroneously—defined, they encompass all birds that have feet with all four toes webbed. Hence, they were formerly also known by such names as totipalmates or steganopodes...

• Dalmatian Pelican
  Dalmatian Pelican
  The Dalmatian Pelican is a member of the pelican family. It breeds from southeastern Europe to India and China in swamps and shallow lakes. The nest is a crude heap of vegetation....
  
  
• Great White Pelican

Phoenicopteriformes

• Greater Flamingo
  Greater Flamingo
  The Greater Flamingo is the most widespread species of the flamingo family. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia , and southern Europe...
  
  
• Lesser Flamingo
  Lesser Flamingo
  The Lesser Flamingo is a species in the flamingo family of birds that resides in Africa and in southern Asia...
  
  

Psittaciformes

• African Gray Parrot
• Alexandrine Parakeet
  Alexandrine Parakeet
  The Alexandrine Parakeet or Alexandrian Parrot is a member of the psittaciformes order and of the psittacines family...
  
  
• Blossom-headed Parakeet
  Blossom-headed Parakeet
  The Blossom-headed Parakeet is a parrot which is a resident breeder in northeast India eastwards into Southeast Asia. It undergoes local movements, driven mainly by the availability of the fruit and blossoms which make up its diet....
  
  
• Blue-and-yellow Macaw
  Blue-and-yellow Macaw
  The Blue-and-Yellow Macaw , also known as the Blue-and-Gold Macaw, is a member of the group of large Neotropical parrots known as macaws. It breeds in forest and woodland of tropical South America from Trinidad and Venezuela south to Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay...
  
  
• Budgerigar
  Budgerigar
  The Budgerigar , also known as Common Pet Parakeet or Shell Parakeet informally nicknamed the budgie, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot, and the only species in the Australian genus Melopsittacus...
  
  
• Cape Parrot
  Cape Parrot
  The Cape Parrot or Levaillant's Parrot is a large, temperate forest dwelling Poicephalus parrot endemic to South Africa. It has 2 subspecies which may be considered distinct species, the savanna dwelling Brown-necked Parrot and Grey-headed Parrot The Cape Parrot (Poicephalus robustus) or...
  
  
• Cockatiel
  Cockatiel
  The Cockatiel , also known as the Quarrion and the Weiro, is the smallest cockatoo endemic to Australia. They are prized as a household pet and companion parrot throughout the world and are relatively easy to breed...
  
  
• Green-winged Macaw
• Lilian's Lovebird
  Lilian's Lovebird
  The Lilian's Lovebird , also known as Nyasa Lovebird, is a small African parrot species of the lovebird genus. It is mainly green and has orange on its upper chest and head. It is 13 cm long and is the smallest parrot on mainland Africa...
  
  
• Little Corella
  Little Corella
  The Little Corella, Cacatua sanguinea, also known as the Bare-eyed Cockatoo, is a white cockatoo native to Australia and southern New Guinea....
  
  
• Panama Amazon
  Panama Amazon
  The Panama Amazon, also known as the Panama Yellow-headed Amazon, is a subspecies of the Yellow-crowned Amazon, and is endemic to Panama and northwest Colombia...
  
  
• Rose-ringed Parakeet
  Rose-ringed Parakeet
  The Rose-ringed Parakeet , also known as the Ringnecked Parakeet, is a gregarious tropical parakeet species that has an extremely large range. Since the trend of the population appears to be increasing, the species has been evaluated as Least Concern by IUCN in 2009.Rose-ringed parakeets are...
  
  
• Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
  Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
  The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita, is a relatively large white cockatoo found in wooded habitats in Australia and New Guinea. They can be locally very numerous, leading to them sometimes being considered pests...
  
  

Struthioniformes

• Emu
  Emu
  The Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia...
  
  
• Ostrich
  Ostrich
  The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
  
  
• Southern Cassowary
  Southern Cassowary
  The Southern Cassowary, Casuarius casuarius, also known as Double-wattled Cassowary, Australian Cassowary or Two-wattled Cassowary, is a large flightless black bird...
  
  

Mammals

Artiodactyla

• Bactrian Camel
  Bactrian camel
  The Bactrian camel is a large, even-toed ungulate native to the steppes of central Asia. It is presently restricted in the wild to remote regions of the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts of Mongolia and Xinjiang. A small number of wild Bactrian camels still roam the Mangystau Province of southwest...
  
   (2)
• Blackbuck
  Blackbuck
  Blackbuck is a species of antelope native to the Indian subcontinent. Their range decreased sharply during the 20th century. Since 2003, the IUCN lists the species as near threatened....
  
  
• Chinkara
  Chinkara
  The Chinkara is a species of gazelle found in south Asia.-Habitat and Distribution:It lives in grasslands and desert areas in India, Bangladesh and parts of Iran and Pakistan...
  
   (Indian Gazelle)
• Chital
  Chital
  The chital or cheetal , also known as chital deer, spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and in small numbers in Pakistan...
  
   (Axis Deer)
• Dromedary Camel
• Fallow Deer
  Fallow Deer
  The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. This common species is native to western Eurasia, but has been introduced widely elsewhere. It often includes the rarer Persian Fallow Deer as a subspecies , while others treat it as an entirely different species The Fallow...
  
  
• Giraffe
  Giraffe
  The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
  
   (2)
• Hippopotamus
  Hippopotamus
  The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
  
   (2)
• Hog Deer
  Hog Deer
  The Hog Deer is a small deer whose habitat ranges from Pakistan, through northern India, to mainland southeast Asia...
  
  
• Llama
  Llama
  The llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since pre-Hispanic times....
  
  
• Nilgai
  Nilgai
  The nilgai , sometimes called nilgau, is an antelope, and is one of the most commonly seen wild animals of central and northern India and eastern Pakistan; it is also present in parts of southern Nepal. The mature males appear ox-like and are also known as blue bulls...
  
  
• Ovis orientalis
  Ovis
  Ovis is a genus of mammals, part of the goat-antelope subfamily of the ruminant family Bovidae. Its five or more highly gregarious species are known as sheep...
  
  
  • Mouflon
    Mouflon
    The mouflon is a subspecies group of the wild sheep Ovis aries. Populations of Ovis aries can be partitioned into the mouflons and urials or arkars...
    
     (O. orientalis orientalis)
  • Urial
    Urial
    The Urial , also known as the Arkars or Shapo, is a subspecies group of the wild sheep Ovis orientalis. Noticeable features are the reddish-brown long fur that fades during winter; males are characterized by a black ruff stretching from the neck to the chest and large horns. It is found in western...
    
     (O. orientalis vignei)
• Red Deer
  Red Deer
  The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
  
  
• Sambar
• Sika Deer
  Sika Deer
  The Sika Deer, Cervus nippon, also known as the Spotted Deer or the Japanese Deer, is a species of deer native to much of East Asia and introduced to various other parts of the world...
  
  
• Wild Boar

Carnivora

Carnivora

The diverse order Carnivora |Latin]] carō "flesh", + vorāre "to devour") includes over 260 species of placental mammals. Its members are formally referred to as carnivorans, while the word "carnivore" can refer to any meat-eating animal...

• Asian Black Bear (4)
• Bengal Tiger
  Bengal Tiger
  The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
  
  
• Cougar (Puma) (2)
• Indian Wolf
  Indian Wolf
  Indian wolf and Iranian Wolf are two common names for Canis lupus pallipes, a subspecies of grey wolf which inhabits western India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and southern Israel. Some experts have suggested at least some C. lupus pallipes populations be re-classified a canid species...
  
   (3)
• Jungle Cat (1)
• Leopard
  Leopard
  The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
  
   (2)
• Lion
  Lion
  The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
  
  
• Oriental Small-clawed Otter
  Oriental Small-clawed Otter
  The oriental small-clawed otter , also known as Asian small-clawed otter, is the smallest otter species in the world, weighing less than 5 kg. It lives in mangrove swamps and freshwater wetlands of Bangladesh, Burma, India, southern China, Taiwan, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines,...
  
   (1)

Lagomorpha

Lagomorpha

The lagomorphs are the members of the taxonomic order Lagomorpha, of which there are two living families, the Leporidae , and the Ochotonidae...

• European Rabbit
  European Rabbit
  The European Rabbit or Common Rabbit is a species of rabbit native to south west Europe and north west Africa . It has been widely introduced elsewhere often with devastating effects on local biodiversity...
  
  

Marsupials

• Red-necked Wallaby
  Red-necked Wallaby
  The Red-necked Wallaby is a medium-sized marsupial macropod, common in the more temperate and fertile parts of eastern Australia, including Tasmania.- Description :...
  
  

Perissodactyla

• Plains Zebra
  Plains Zebra
  The plains zebra , also known as the common zebra or Burchell's zebra, is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. It ranges from the south of Ethiopia through East Africa to as far south as Angola and eastern South Africa...
  
  
• White Rhinoceros
  White Rhinoceros
  The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros is one of the five species of rhinoceros that still exist. It has a wide mouth used for grazing and is the most social of all rhino species...
  
   (2)

Primates

• Black-footed Gray Langur
  Black-footed Gray Langur
  The black-footed gray langur is an Old World monkey, one of the species of langurs. This, like other gray langurs, is a leaf-eating monkey found in south India.-References:...
  
  
• Black-and-white Colobus
  Black-and-white colobus
  Black-and-white colobuses are Old World monkeys of the genus Colobus, native to Africa. They are closely related to the brown colobus monkeys of genus Piliocolobus. The word "colobus" comes from Greek κολοβός kolobós , and is so named because its thumb is a stump.Colobuses are herbivorous, eating...
  
  
• Capuchin Monkey
  Capuchin monkey
  The capuchins are New World monkeys of the genus Cebus. The range of capuchin monkeys includes Central America and South America as far south as northern Argentina...
  
  
• Chimpanzee
  Chimpanzee
  Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
  
   (3)
• Hamadryas Baboon
  Hamadryas Baboon
  The Hamadryas baboon is a species of baboon from the Old World monkey family. It is the northernmost of all the baboons; being native to the Horn of Africa and the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. These regions provide habitats with the advantage for this species of fewer natural...
  
  
• Mandrill
  Mandrill
  The mandrill is a primate of the Old World monkey family, closely related to the baboons and even more closely to the drill. Both the mandrill and the drill were once classified as baboons in genus Papio, but recent research has determined they should be separated into their own genus, Mandrillus...
  
  
• Olive Baboon
  Olive Baboon
  The olive baboon , also called the Anubis baboon, is a member of the family Cercopithecidae . The species is the most widely spread of all baboons: it is found in 25 countries throughout Africa, extending south from Mali to Ethiopia and to Tanzania. Isolated populations are also found in some...
  
  
• Rhesus Macaque
  Rhesus Macaque
  The Rhesus macaque , also called the Rhesus monkey, is one of the best-known species of Old World monkeys. It is listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and its tolerance of a broad range of habitats...
  
  
• Vervet Monkey
  Vervet Monkey
  The vervet monkey , or simply vervet, is an Old World monkey of the family Cercopithecidae native to Africa. The term "vervet" is also used to refer to all the members of the genus Chlorocebus....
  
  

Proboscidea

Proboscidea

Proboscidea is a taxonomic order containing one living family, Elephantidae, and several extinct families. This order was first described by J. Illiger in 1881 and encompasses the trunked mammals...

• African Bush Elephant
  African Bush Elephant
  The African Bush Elephant or African Savanna Elephant is the larger of the two species of African elephant. Both it and the African Forest Elephant have usually been classified as a single species, known simply as the African Elephant...
  
   (1)

Rodentia

• Guinea Pig
  Guinea pig
  The guinea pig , also called the cavy, is a species of rodent belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia. Despite their common name, these animals are not in the pig family, nor are they from Guinea...
  
  
• Indian Crested Porcupine

Reptiles

Crocodilia

Crocodilia

Crocodilia is an order of large reptiles that appeared about 84 million years ago in the late Cretaceous Period . They are the closest living relatives of birds, as the two groups are the only known survivors of the Archosauria...

• Gharial
  Gharial
  The gharial , , also called Indian gavial or gavial, is the only surviving member of the once well-represented family Gavialidae, a long-established group of crocodilians with long, slender snouts...
  
   (Indian Gavial) - unconfirmed

Squamata

Squamata

Squamata, or the scaled reptiles, is the largest recent order of reptiles, including lizards and snakes. Members of the order are distinguished by their skins, which bear horny scales or shields. They also possess movable quadrate bones, making it possible to move the upper jaw relative to the...

• Central Asian Cobra
  Naja oxiana
  Naja oxiana or the Central Asian Cobra is a species of venomous snake found in Central Asia.-Distribution:It is found in Afghanistan, NE Iran, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, SW Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The type locality is Transcaspia....
  
   (Brown Cobra)
• Common Krait
• Diadem Snake
  Spalerosophis diadema
  The diadem snake is a species of large colubrine snake.-Geographic range:It is found in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Western Pakistan, Northern India,...
  
   (Rat Snake)
• Enhydris
  Enhydris
  Enhydris is a genus of slightly venomous colubrid snakes. Species include:* sea-leopard snake, Enhydris bocourti * Sind River snake, Enhydris chanardi Murphy & Voris, 2005...
  
   - unidentified (Water Snake)
• Indian Cobra
  Indian Cobra
  Indian Cobra or Spectacled Cobra is a species of the genus Naja found in the Indian subcontinent and a member of the "big four", the four species which inflict the most snakebites in India. This snake is revered in Indian mythology and culture, and is often seen with snake charmers...
  
   (Spectacled Cobra)
• Indian Phyton
• Indian Sand Boa
  Eryx johnii
  Eryx johnii is a non-venomous boa species found in Iran, Pakistan and India. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:Adults rarely exceed two feet in length , although they sometimes reach 3 feet . Adapted to burrowing, the head is wedge-shaped with narrow nostrils and very small eyes...
  
  
• Russell's Viper
  Daboia
  Daboia is a monotypic genus of venomous Old World viper. The single species, D. russelii, is found in Asia throughout the Indian subcontinent, much of Southeast Asia, southern China and Taiwan...
  
  
• Saw-scaled Viper
  Echis carinatus
  Echis carinatus is a venomous viper species found in parts of the Middle East and Central Asia, and especially the Indian subcontinent. It is the smallest member of the Big Four snakes...
  
  

Testudines

• Spur-thighed Tortoise

Notable staff

• Zahid Iqbal Khan - Zoo director
• Muhammad Azam Chaudhry - Engineer
• Reema Khan
  Reema Khan
  Reema Khan, known by her screen name Reema, is a Pakistani Lollywood film actress, director and producer. She has appeared in more than 200 films since making her debut in 1990.-Early life:Reema Khan was born in 1977 in Lahore, Pakistan...
  
   - Ambassador for wildlife in captivity
• Bushra Khan - Education officer
• Saman Bhatti - Veterinary officer
• Zaib Mahl - Veterinary officer

Zoo Maintenance Committee

• Zafar Nasrullah - Chairman
• Baqir Mufti - Planning head
• Muneeb Rehman - Finance head
• Umeed Khalid - Conservation head
• Arif Khan - Research
• Sharif Mughal - Research
• Uzma Khan
  Uzma Khan
  Uzma Khan is a zoologist, conservationist and animal welfare activist from Pakistan.-Career:Uzma Khan did her MSc in 'Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare'. She specialized in 'Endangered Species Management'.Uzma has been working at WWF-Pakistan since 1998...
  
   - Coordinator from WWF

Public service

Instruction boards, maps and sign boards are placed around the zoo for guidance and education. The zoo includes a mosque

Mosque

A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...

 for Muslim prayers. In 2008, walk ways, the cafeteria

Cafeteria

A cafeteria is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school dining location is also referred to as a dining hall or canteen...

, and public washrooms were renovated and umbrella benches, drinking water coolers and new waste bins were added as part of some basic infrastructure updates.

Recreation

Camel rides and electronic kiddy rides are available for children. Lahore Zoo also has plenty of areas for visitors to picnic. A waterfall was created for visitors, and statues of various animals have been placed within the boundaries of the zoo.

Education

The education officer of Lahore Zoo is Bushra Nisar Khan. The zoo hosts guided tours for school groups, as well as placing information boards about the animals and plants around the zoo. A touch table has been set up to let children to touch animal parts like skins, horns, feathers and eggs that they cannot otherwise see or feel. The zoo has also prepared brochures and posters about endangered species in Pakistan like Ganges and Indus River dolphin

Ganges and Indus River Dolphin

The South Asian River Dolphin is a freshwater or river dolphin found in India, Nepal and Pakistan which is split into two sub-species, the Ganges River Dolphin and Indus River Dolphin...

.

On September 5, 2009, Lahore Zoo celebrated the International Vulture Awareness Day and distributed posters regarding the importance of vultures in ecosystems. Reasons of sharp decline of populations of Indian white-rumped vulture

Indian White-rumped Vulture

The White-rumped Vulture is an Old World vulture closely related to the European Griffon Vulture . At one time it was believed to be closer to the White-backed Vulture of Africa and was known as the Oriental White-backed Vulture...

 were made known to local people.

In 2010, Lahore Zoo celebrated events like World Environment Day on June 5 and World Animal Day on October 4. In November 2010, Lahore Zoo started its first publication, a quarterly newsletter. It is said to be the part of the education and awareness programme.

Gift shop

In 2005, a gift shop was opened in joint collaboration between Pakistan branch of WWF

World Wide Fund for Nature

The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...

 and the Lahore Zoo. Ali Bokhari, the marketing head of WWF-Pakistan, stated that the profit earned would be split in half between the Lahore Zoo and WWF-Pakistan. Lahore Zoo would make souvenirs from the profit which would be on sale at the shop, while the WWF would invest it on the conservation of nature in Pakistan. The products include shirts, mugs, plush toys, posters, caps and bags among many others.

Breeding efforts

• Asian Black Bear: In September 2009, a rescued female was given to Lahore Zoo by World Wide Fund for Nature
  World Wide Fund for Nature
  The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
  
  . Lahore Zoo was successful in breeding the species when twins were born in early January 2010. The cubs, however, went missing on 17 January.
• Chimpanzee
  Chimpanzee
  Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
  
  : A pair (named 'Romeo', the male and 'Juliet', the female) were brought to the zoo in 1994. They gave birth to a male named 'Tinku' in April 2000, another female named 'Pinky' in 2004 and a female named 'Honey' in April 2005. In October 2004, the Wildlife Department of Pakistan told the Daily Times that the four year old 'Tinku' had died some time in early August from pneumonia
  Pneumonia
  Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
  
  . On September 17, 2008, Romeo died at the age of 21 from a prolonged illness.
• Hippopotamus
  Hippopotamus
  The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
  
  : A 6 years old male hippopotamus was brought to the zoo on January 16, 1974. On July 11, 2006, zoo bought a 6 years old female to mate with the male that have been at the zoo for over three decades. An expert said that this was pointless because the male had passed its reproductive stage. There has been no breeding so far.
• Gharial
  Gharial
  The gharial , , also called Indian gavial or gavial, is the only surviving member of the once well-represented family Gavialidae, a long-established group of crocodilians with long, slender snouts...
  
  : In November 2004, Lahore Zoo exchanged animals with Karachi Zoo including a male gharial. Lahore Zoo already had three female gharials and with a male, it could initiate a conservation attempt. The male was transported by truck to the zoo, but died the day after it was transferred. Currently there are only two female gharials at the zoo.
• Leopard
  Leopard
  The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
  
  : On 18 January 2006, zoo officials said that a seven year old female wild leopard was caught at Muree and brought to Lahore Zoo for breeding. However, it died about a month later on 21 February because of nervousness. On 5 April 2009, it was reported that 3 leopards (black panthers; one male and two female) purchased in February 2009 had to been returned because they had become sick. Currently Lahore Zoo houses only two leopards.

Future plans

On December 8, 2010, it was announced that the administration of Lahore Zoo is planning to make Reema Khan

Reema Khan

Reema Khan, known by her screen name Reema, is a Pakistani Lollywood film actress, director and producer. She has appeared in more than 200 films since making her debut in 1990.-Early life:Reema Khan was born in 1977 in Lahore, Pakistan...

, an actress, as the ambassador of wildlife in captivity. Current zoo director, Iqbal Khalid, told Dawn News

Dawn News

Dawn News was Pakistan's 24-hour Urdu news channel. Based in Karachi, the station is a subsidiary of Pakistan Herald Publications Limited , Pakistan's largest English-language media group. The test transmission of the station occurred on May 25, 2007, and the channel went live on July 23, 2007...

 that Khan will help create awareness among citizens about wildlife issues. It was also revealed, that Lahore Zoo will start renting exotic animals from other countries. This will give a chance to local people to learn more about different animals across the globe. Lahore Zoo plans to rent two Giant panda

Giant Panda

The giant panda, or panda is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo...

s from People's Republic of China

People's Republic of China

China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

. "Once it gets a sponsor, the zoo administration will submit a request to the Chinese government for the animal, which is popular around the world. Chinese officials will visit the zoo to inspect housing and health facilities for pandas," said Khalid.

Controversies

The plight of captive animals at Lahore Zoo, has been subject to criticism by local animal rights

Animal rights

Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...

 activists.

Safety and security concerns

On 21 November 1999, an Asian black bear killed an 18-month-old boy named Abdullah in the zoo. The child, who was with his parents, tried to shake hands with the caged animal. The bear pulled the boy into the cage and tore him apart. An angry crowd tried to kill the animal but the police intervened to bring the situation under control. Zoo officials blamed the parents for allowing the boy to touch the animal. On 8 January 2004, an attendant at the zoo was attacked by a red fox

Red Fox

The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...

 when its cage was left unlocked, causing a panic among visitors. On 9 April 2007, two stray dogs entered an Indian peafowl

Indian Peafowl

The Indian Peafowl or Blue Peafowl is a large and brightly coloured bird of the pheasant family native to South Asia, but introduced and semi-feral in many other parts of the world...

 pen from a broken portion of a fence and managed to kill about 28 peafowl. This resulted in criticism as Indian peafowl is considered sacred in Indian subcontinent

Indian subcontinent

The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...

. On 10 May 2009, it was reported that a new born Macaw

Macaw

Macaws are small to large, often colourful New World parrots. Of the many different Psittacidae genera, six are classified as macaws: Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Primolius, Orthopsittaca, and Diopsittaca...

 was stolen from the zoo. The zoo director said that someone from the zoo staff must have been responsible. On 17 January 2010, two Asian black bear cubs went missing from the zoo.

Animal deaths

Lahore Zoo has been criticized for not having the level of medical facilities expected in a modern zoo. Zoo officials reported in April 2005 that three female black-footed gray langur

Black-footed Gray Langur

The black-footed gray langur is an Old World monkey, one of the species of langurs. This, like other gray langurs, is a leaf-eating monkey found in south India.-References:...

s died due to cold weather the previous winter. In November 2005, a male mandrill and male puma died at the zoo. A female Asian black bear died in mid-February 2006. In September 2006, some animals at the zoo were diagnosed with tuberculosis

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...

, which can also be transmitted to humans, but early detection and treatment prevented an outbreak. In January 2009, a female giraffe was attacked by a plains zebra and died soon after due to injuries.

In October 2004 the Wildlife Department of Pakistan told the Daily Times that a four year old male chimpanzee had died in early August from pneumonia

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...

, but zoo management had not revealed this news to public immediately. In September 2008, another male chimpanzee died at the age of 21 from a prolonged unidentified illness.

Lahore Zoo received a pair of Bengal tigers from Belgium in 1992 to start their captive breeding program. In 1997, six Bengal tigers died from Trypanosomiasis

Trypanosomiasis

Trypanosomiasis or trypanosomosis is the name of several diseases in vertebrates caused by parasitic protozoan trypanosomes of the genus Trypanosoma. Approximately 500,000 men, women and children in 36 countries of sub-Saharan Africa suffer from human African trypanosomiasis which is caused by...

at the zoo, and in 2006, four more became victims. In July 2007, two female Bengal tigers, one of which had given the zoo 19 cubs, died from same disease. In early May 2009, a 3 year old female Bengal tiger died after a cesarean section to take out her dead babies. In April 2009, a Bengal tiger gave birth to four In July 2009, a lion gave birth to two cubs but killed them by eating their heads. Director, Zafar Shah, said that the lion had been killing her cubs for the last three years and is a victim of cannibalism - a mental disease found in 5-6% of lions worldwide. At Lahore Zoo, there have been many births of Bengal tiger cubs who are deformed and do not survive long. In late 2010, the officials showed concern for the issue of inbreeding that might be the reason behind these deaths.

In early November 2010, Lahore Zoo received 53 falcons which were being illegally transported to Qatar from Benazir Bhutto International Airport

Benazir Bhutto International Airport

Benazir Bhutto International Airport بینظیر بھٹّو بین الاقوامی ہوائی اڈہ is the third-largest airport in Pakistan, serving the capital Islamabad and its twin city Rawalpindi in the province of Punjab...

. 16 falcons died due to heat strokes and other reasons. In April 2011, the zoo officials returned the remaining falcons to the wildlife department to be set free so that they can migrate to colder regions.

Smuggling scandal

On 27 March 2009, two white Bengal tigers were brought into Pakistan from Indonesia

Indonesia

Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...

 without necessary import documents and sold to the Lahore Zoo. The sources said that trans-boundary movement of the rare and endangered species was controlled by the CITES and that a certificate of permission from CITES and permission from the Islamabad-based National Council for Conservation of Wildlife (NCCW) were both required before import of the animals. Lahore Zoo had neither. The director of the zoo, Yusuf Paul said the zoo had purchased two female white Bengal Tigers from supplier Mohammad Afzal of a Lahore-based organisation, Animal World, for 7.6 million Pakistani rupees.