The rare and nationally protected wild sheep species native to the Salt Range faces threats from poaching and illegal trade.
The wildlife department had intercepted a smuggler in Jhelum a few months ago, attempting to illegally transport the three infant Urials.
The suspect was arrested and the lambs shifted to Lahore for care and rehabilitation.
At the wildlife hospital, the lambs received nourishment from human hands.
According to the hospital director Dr Muhammad Rizwan Khan, raising orphan Urial lambs has been a major challenge due to their sensitive digestion and high mortality rates. “In the past, hand-reared Urial lambs often developed digestive complications,” he explained. “This time, we adopted a scientific approach — modifying their diet, introducing a regulated medical schedule, and closely monitoring their weight and health daily. The results were remarkable: all three lambs showed steady weight gain and remained disease-free.”
Veterinary Officer Dr Abdul Rehman added that the team had formulated a special diet combining milk with a total mixed ration (TMR) to ensure balanced nutrition. “We conducted regular blood and fecal analyses to detect any parasitic or metabolic disorders in time,” he said.
“Whenever one of them ate less or lost weight, everyone became concerned,” said a caretaker.
Wildlife experts describe this as the first documented case in the province where Punjab Urial lambs have been successfully hand-reared through an artificial feeding regimen.