PS: Here's a stroy I'd written for my newspaper one year ago. Never used. still vaild. so those intersted can read it here... (of course since its one year old, it doesn't cover the recent death of Shakti, the hippo death)
· While conservationists world-over are finding ways to save the lion – a vulnerable species, the Byculla zoo lost its only male lion Amar to prolonged disease on October 22, 2007. Amar, a hybrid of African and Asiatic lion – died prematurely at eight, at least 10 years before his time.
· The zoo’s 30-year-old rhinoceros, Shiva – also an endangered species -- has been living a celibate, not to mention frustrated, life for the past 18 years. The reason: the zoo has not managed to find a partner for him yet.
· Many animal enclosures bear no label of the displayed animal or its characteristics.
· Crows swarm the enclosures, harassing inmates and creating a nuisance
Even as it stands in midst of a Rs 434 crore makeover, the 53-acre Jijamata Udyan, Byculla, is a screaming example of neglect and outrage to animal rights today.
One of the oldest zoos in the country, built in 1861, the Jijamata Udyan hardly serves its primary purpose – preservation of species or education to the public. Instead, animals live in sheer stress, often in inadequate cages, teased by visitors and hassled by scavenger birds. And while zoo officials turn a blind eye to the apathy stating that “these animals are all old and been with us for years”, the inmates have obviously not gotten used to their life in confinement yet. They jog around in their enclosures restlessly, stare threateningly at their visitors and search for places to hide in their cages.
“These animals are all hitting old age,” zoo education/public relation officer AL Paranchpe reasons, “the court has ordered that we can’t procure animals till the new zoo comes up. So it’s not fair to blame us for the existing condition.” He points out that the new zoo will follow all the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) guidelines, and provide adequate space and environment to the inmates. “At that time we’ll also be getting a number of new animals here,” he says. The two surviving lionesses – Jimmy (13) and Anita (19) are also extremely old, he reminds.
Quality of life
However, animal activists opine that the quality of life of the animals has remained abysmal over the years. They say that while efforts are being made to give the city a swanky zoo at par with international standards in just two years, the physical and psychological health of the inmates have been a constant victim of neglect. “I have visited the premises through my childhood and it has obviously never been an inspiration to me,” says environmentalist Sanjoy Monga. “To date, the upkeep of the animals has never been up to the mark and there is no point acquiring newer animals unless the authorities have a fool proof plan in place,” he states.
Indeed, the zoo inmates have been plagued by premature deaths and illnesses in the past. The recent death of Amar the lion, at an early age of eight is just one such instance. Amar was brought from the Hyderabad zoo only in 2003, and had been battling kidney dysfunction for nearly four months. The cause of his death was said to be broncho-pneumonia and intestinal infection (both caused due to his kidney disorder.) According to zoo vets, Amar had shown signs of weak kidney for over two years and was being treated for it. The vets now agree that the average age of lions in captivity is between 18-20 years.
Among other shocking tales of neglect are the deaths of 16 deer in February 2006. The deer died when three stray dogs entered their enclosures through gaping holes in the grills, causing a stampede. A day after incident, the then zoo superintendent Dr M V Wani was sacked and the gaps in the enclosure were patched up with wire mesh. A guard who claimed to be present near the enclosure maintained that he did not hear or see a thing.
The saddest story though, is perhaps the death of Guru, a hippo, on June 6, 1998, when he fell into the moat surrounding his enclosure and lay unnoticed for nearly 24 hours.
Now, when asked about deaths, zoo official tactfully enumerate: 41 mammal, 65 birds and 14 reptile deaths in the five years. “That is the normal death rate, considering the animals are also old,” they conclude avoiding to delve into details.
PETA investigations
In October 2004, People for Ethical Treatment to Animals (PETA) had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the unhealthy environment of the Byculla zoo. Subsequently, a committee was appointed to study the problem and suggest solutions. The committee’s recommendations included short-term measures like enriching enclosures and building moats. Sachin Bangera, zoo coordinator of Peta, says, “Despite that, the status of the zoo inmates are pitiful till now.”
He adds, “When we talk about a zoo, we are primarily talking about animals. It is immaterial to build a zoo with all modern attractions for public if the basic upkeep of the animals is not up to the mark.”
A ray of hope
According to R A Rajeev, assistant municipal commissioner (City), BMC, though, animal neglect will soon be a matter of past as the makeover will include a state-of-the-art animal hospital with professional experts and guides.
In just two years, this zoo proposes to be an amusement park of sorts complete with 3D theatres, cafes, car parks, theme parks, an exploration centre and gift shops. The new zoo also proposes to house more than 90 animal species from three continents -- Asia, Africa and Australia. Drawn up by Bangkok-based HKS Designer and Consultant International Co Ltd and US-based landscape designers Portico Group for a whopping Rs 4 crore, the zoo plans to bring to India the concept of ‘open zoo’ – an Utopia where animals roam freely in native jungle-like atmosphere while people watch them from enclosed passageways.
Rajeev says, “We are aware that soon several species from different habitats would be making this zoo their home. We will soon start inviting professional agencies to set up a veterinary hospital in our premises. Once set up, it should be the best hospital in the city.”
Incidentally, way back in 1996, the zoo’s attempt to keep a foreign animal failed miserably. Four kangaroos were brought in from Japan with much fanfare. Three died within a month due to a rare respiratory infection called `pasteurella'. In 1999, the last surviving marsupial died of the same infection. When pointed out, Rajeev has a reply ready. “We don’t plan to bring animals like kangaroos this time. We will only acquire animals that can adapt easily to our environment,” he says.
Staff shortage
Of the issues plaguing the administration, shortage of staff is probably the most significant. Today, the zoo has about 46 animal keepers working in the upkeep of about 200 animals. An official adds, “Weekly offs and leaves considered, we have about 35 working hands usually. These zoo keepers are responsible for all the cages and the enclosures -- cleaning up, feeding and caring for the inmates.” Currently, there are about seven vacancies for animal keepers.
With a minimal entry fee of Rs 5 and Rs 2 for the past 10 years at least, the zoo attracts over 17 lakh visitors every year, official stated. Also, entry is always free for senior citizens and BMC school students, while for other students, Fridays are free.
Rajeev points out, “Almost all the other state zoos in the country are maintained by its wildlife department. Ours is the only zoo managed and financed completely by the city’s municipal corporation. We have to be appreciated for our efforts in maintaining the large premises, its animals and the huge crowd it attracts.” The BMC has allocated Rs 2 crore 30 lakh as the zoo’s maintenance budget this year, which goes towards upkeep and feeding of animals, yearly vaccinations, workers salaries and maintenance of the botanical garden.
Flourishing garden
Noticeably, while the zoo is nothing much to harp about, its botanical garden is among the most well maintained green spot in the city with a wealth of century old trees. It is also a haven for senior citizens and children, who visit the garden regularly for walks, cycling or just to breathe some fresh air. The garden is groomed and watered everyday and is practically a plastic-free zone today. Says BNHS botanist Dr Swapna Prabhu, “The zoo has an amazing treasure of over 200 species of trees including new saplings. Some of the old trees are more than a hundred years old and rare. Indeed, this is the only place in the city where so many exotic trees are present in one spot and should be preserved.”
Agreeing with Prabhu, Monga adds, “In fact, the botanical wealth in the zoo is so amazing that if the authorities can’t maintain its animals, they should just do away with the zoo and instead set up a fabulous botanical garden here. That is certainly the need of the hour.”
BOX
Observations:
Over the past one week Newsline visited the Byculla zoo several times and made some observations:
a) The watering holes for hippopotamus looked unclean, though zoo vets stated that they are cleaned twice a week. Crows and blackbirds harassed the hippos incessantly.
b) The elephants were constantly chained in their cells. With the pachyderms tied up almost all the time, their large enclosure has now almost turned into a wasteland.
c) An albino jungle crow (white crow born of genetic regression) languished alone in a triangular cage. Said to be a ‘rescued bird’, the crow’s sole area of flight is from one end of the narrow cage to the other.
d) Feed left in the hyena enclosure attracted crows. The obviously stressed hyenas had to fight to retrieve its morsel from the scavenger birds.
Pointing to the plight of the hyena, a Peta activist says, “The carnivorous animals are nocturnal by habit and have to be fed after dusk. But time and again, the zoo keeps feeding the animals before sunset. The result: crows swarm the mammals' cages, not allowing them to eat in peace.”
Finally, who can forget Shiva the rhino who became an unwitting victim of a political issue when his ticket to the Ranchi zoo, where a mate awaited him, was unceremoniously cancelled due to pressure from a local MLA. The politician’s contention: Mumbai cant’ afford to lose its only rhino. Today, Shiva still waits on patiently, as zoo officials search for a willing female rhino to transport to Mumbai.
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