A Must See: Woman who is half-human, half-animal

One of the top attractions at Karachi Zoo in Pakistan is ‘Mumtaz Begum Africa Wali’ – a mythical half-fox, half-woman chimera.

With the body of a fox and the head of a woman, this bizarre creature manages to delight visitors more than any other animal in the zoo.

Her witty conversation and fortune-telling talents make her an instant hit with any sort of crowd.

When you get inside Mumtaz Mahal, the building that houses her, all you can see at first is a fox’s hide placed on a table-like arrangement.

She begins her story:

“I was born like this in Africa 35 years ago

, and I live on cake, juice, and fruits…”

After a short monologue, she engages with visitors and answers their questions in several languages.

Of course, Mumtaz isn’t really a mythical creature – she’s just an optical illusion created by a man rearing his head through a wooden table next to the body of a stuffed fox. Over the years, the role of Mumtaz has been played by several men.

A man is always chosen for the part, according to zoo director Mohammad Fahim Khan, because men are able to respond better to harassment and negative comments.

The selection is made according to acting talent and also the number of local languages they can speak.

The current ‘actor’ playing Mumtaz Begum is 33-year-old Murad Ali, who inherited the role from his father 16 years ago.

Modern magic… Lolz! Any comment?