KARACHI — After spending nearly two decades in distressing captivity, 24-year-old brown bear Rano has finally been freed from the Karachi Zoo and relocated to a sanctuary in Islamabad marking a long-awaited victory for animal rights activists and a new beginning for the weary bear.
According to Sindh Wildlife Conservator Javed Ahmed Mahar, Rano was flown to Islamabad aboard a Pakistan Air Force C-130 aircraft on Wednesday morning. The flight departed from Karachi at 8:30 a.m. and landed at the Nur Khan Airbase shortly after 11:30 a.m. The move, carefully coordinated by wildlife officials, was carried out with compassion and precision.
Rano’s journey began early in the morning when she was guided into a specially designed wooden crate at the Karachi Zoo. To everyone’s relief, she cooperated calmly and did not require sedation. “At just three calls, she walked from her sleeping area straight into the crate,” said Sana Raja of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) in a video shared online. “She was relaxed, showing no signs of fear, and even ate during the process,” she added.
During the flight, the wildlife team monitored Rano’s condition closely. Despite the noise of the C-130’s engines, the exhausted bear dozed peacefully perhaps a small taste of the calm she had long been denied. Upon landing, airbase staff assisted in offloading her crate, after which she was taken to the IWMB’s Bear Rehabilitation Facility.
There, she was offered food and placed in a quarantine zone where she will remain under observation for about a month before being moved to a larger, more natural enclosure. In a short video, Rano could be seen exploring her new surroundings, sniffing the grass, and appearing visibly calmer. Officials say she will eventually be relocated to a protected area in Gilgit-Baltistan, her natural habitat.
For years, Rano’s condition at the Karachi Zoo had drawn widespread outrage. Initially confined to a Victorian-era pit, and later to a barren concrete cage, she spent her days pacing in distress a haunting symbol of neglect and loneliness. Her plight prompted repeated calls from activists for her release, eventually leading to legal action.
Earlier this month, the Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered her relocation to Islamabad, forming a committee to ensure her safe transfer. Members of the IWMB had already been to Karachi to train Rano for the move.
Animal rights activists have hailed the development as a moral and humanitarian victory. Mahera Omar, co-founder of the Pakistan Animal Welfare Society, said zoos fail to meet the psychological and behavioral needs of wild animals.
“Animals are not meant for our entertainment,” she said. “They deserve to live freely in their natural environments. Rano’s rescue is a ray of hope for countless others still suffering in captivity.”
Lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir, who fought Rano’s case in the SHC, called her relocation a triumph for compassion and justice. “This is not just about one bear,” he said. “Many animals continue to suffer and perish in Karachi Zoo due to inadequate facilities and neglect. The zoo was meant to be a botanical garden not a prison for animals.”
He urged the authorities to transform the zoo into a sanctuary for plants and education rather than a “cash cow” for the city administration. “We must teach our children empathy, not normalize cruelty by displaying suffering animals for amusement,” he added.
Rano’s story, spanning years of neglect, suffering, and finally freedom, serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for reform in Pakistan’s zoos. Her release is a symbol of resilience and a testament to the power of persistence, advocacy, and compassion.
