July 12, 2016 Gulf News
Pakistan
Islamabad: Around 100 snakes have
been ruthlessly killed as part of a so-called magic show at the Karachi zoo, it
was reported on Tuesday.
Titled “The snake-eating man”,
the stunt has been attracting hundreds of visitors since the first day of Eid
and is likely to continue for a few more days, the Dawn reported.
The snakes are killed by a
performer who breaks their necks with his teeth before skinning them, and
tasting their blood dripping from their mutilated bodies.
This act is done in front of a
large audience, mainly children, Dawn reported.
“I have been holding these shows
in all major cities of the country for a long time. No government official has
ever stopped or fined me on my acts,” said performer Talib, who hails from
Nawabshah.
The 31-year-old, also a
snake-hunter, said the number of snakes in Pakistan had not declined over the
years despite their frequent killing in his shows.
“I eat all kinds of snakes
including cobras and vipers but they are often not easily available,” Dawn
quoted him as saying.
According to the performer, he
has developed immunity against snake poison and suffers no effects from a
snakebite.
He added that he was also fond of
frogs and lizards and uses them in his performances when he cannot get snakes.
Dawn said the Karachi zoo
defended the show.
“The show is being held only for
a few days and in no way damages the public image of the zoo,” director Fahim
Khan said.
Wildlife conservator Sindh Saeed
Baloch, however, criticised the zoo administration for “showing cruelty to
animals” and said that the facility was encouraging the public to destroy
wildlife.
But Baloch said the wildlife
ordinance of 1972 neither awards protected status to species like snakes,
lizards or frogs, nor covers the subject of cruelty to animals.
Posts
