KARACHI: As female bear Rano undergoes behavioural training at the Karachi Zoo, Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah has directed the concerned wildlife team to take all measures and ensure that her relocation to Islamabad is safe and transparent.

He was chairing a high-level meeting on Wednesday at the Sindh Secretariat to review the arrangements being made on the Sindh High Court (SHC) orders for Rano’s relocation to a rehabilitation centre operating under the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB).

The attendees included secretary forest & wildlife, municipal commissioner, conservator wildlife and representatives of the IWMB, among others.

During the meeting, officials representing the provincial wildlife department shared that a custom-designed and built iron cage meeting all safety standards had been prepared for Rano’s relocation and that the female bear was currently undergoing behavioural training sessions, helping her establish a bond with the team.

Female brown bear undergoing behavioural training at Karachi Zoo; CS directs wildlife team to ensure safe relocation

The members included Dr Aamir and Abida Raees from Karachi Zoo, wildlife rangers Abbas, Anees, and Sana Raja from IWMB and wildlife trainer Abid from the provincial wildlife department.

Officials informed Mr Shah that Rano had shown a very positive response to the training. She had developed a friendly bond with the team, especially with wildlife ranger Sana Raja.

Rano, they said, now ate honey directly from her hand and eagerly waited for her arrival daily, indicating strong trust and progress in her behavioural adaptation.

The chief secretary directed that Rano must not be forcibly handled or sedated during the transfer process. He also emphasised that the bear should voluntarily enter the transport cage through gradual and positive reinforcement training methods.

He also instructed that the entire transfer process be video recorded for documentation and transparency and that all arrangements in Islamabad be completed before Rano’s transfer.

In the first phase, according to the SHC’s orders, the female brown bear would be transferred to the rehab and in the second, she would be relocated to her natural range in Gilgit-Baltistan.

It might be recalled that the SHC had ordered the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation to relocate brown bear Rano, a critically endangered species in zoo captivity since 2017, to the sanctuary managed by the IWMB within two days.

The SHC also ruled that the transfer of the female Himalayan bear must take place through air cargo under the supervision of a senior official of the wildlife department and directed the KMC to extend cooperation and ensure the shifting.

The orders came on a petition raising concern over the bear’s condition.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2025