Pakistan’s first dedicated wildlife hospital is now functional within Lahore’s Safari Zoo.
The Punjab government announced on 8 September 2026 that the new facility, built inside the Safari Zoo complex, is ready to receive injured wild animals and birds from across the province. Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb highlighted that the centre will fill a critical gap in the region’s wildlife‑health infrastructure, offering specialised treatment, rehabilitation and emergency response capabilities that were previously unavailable in Pakistan.
Spanning over several hundred square metres, the hospital houses isolation wards, fully equipped surgical suites and a quarantine zone designed to meet internationally recognised standards for animal care. Its design allows veterinary specialists to handle a wide range of species, from raptors and small mammals to larger ungulates, while minimising the risk of disease transmission. The project, funded by the provincial government, also includes a state‑of‑the‑art laboratory for diagnostic testing and a training wing aimed at up‑skilling local veterinarians and wildlife officers.
The opening comes at a time when Pakistan’s wildlife faces mounting pressures from habitat loss, illegal hunting and climate‑related challenges. By providing a dedicated centre for medical intervention, Punjab hopes to improve survival rates of rescued animals, support the conservation of endangered species such as the Indus river dolphin and the Punjab urial, and strengthen the province’s capacity to respond swiftly to wildlife emergencies, including oil spills or disease outbreaks.
Experts anticipate that the hospital will become a hub for research collaborations with universities and international conservation bodies, fostering knowledge exchange and potentially attracting funding for broader wildlife‑health programmes. For local communities living near protected areas, the facility promises faster, more professional assistance when wildlife conflicts arise, reducing human‑animal tensions and promoting coexistence.
In the longer term, the wildlife hospital is expected to serve as a model for other provinces, encouraging the replication of similar specialised centres across Pakistan. If successful, it could pave the way for a national network of wildlife health institutions, bolstering the country’s commitment to biodiversity preservation and aligning with global conservation targets.