‘What right do we have to handle zoo animals this way?’
The Byculla zoo is a prominent attraction for city tourists and aficionados looking for some action in the concrete jungle. But the premier reserve pasture for animals is not following Central Zoo Authority norms, reports……Nitin Kumar
The Byculla zoo is a prominent attraction for city tourists and aficionados looking for some action in the concrete jungle. But the premier reserve pasture for animals is not following Central Zoo Authority norms, reports……Nitin Kumar
Veermata Jijabai Bhonsle Udyan is a 148-year-old zoo. Popularly it is also known as Rani Bagh. It is located at Byculla in the heart of Mumbai on a 53 acre plot of land.
It houses many rare species of animals, birds and trees. The zoo has been mired in controversy because of many unprecedented deaths of animals happened in the past frequently, as recently the death of Shakti, a hippopotamus, on April 24, 2009. Frequent deaths disclosed many loopholes in management system of this zoo.
In October 2007, officials from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) visited the Byculla zoo. After preparing a report, Central Zoo Authority decided to redevelop the zoo.
For this makeover, Rs433.57 crore contracts have been made among the civic corporation, HKS Designer and Consultant International (a Thai-based Malaysian company) and the Portico Group of the USA.
Evenwhile a huge sum of money is going to be invested for the overhaul of the zoo, some groups are not happy with the proposal.
Activists feel this will require cutting so many trees which covers 63 % of the zoo’s area.
Common visitors feel that much needs to be done regarding the upkeep of the zoo. Tourists feel that there must be more amenities for them.
Common visitors feel that much needs to be done regarding the upkeep of the zoo. Tourists feel that there must be more amenities for them.
Amenities to visitors
According to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), a zoo must provide basic amenities to visitors like toilets, drinking water points, shelters, first-aid facilities and ramp facilities for the handicapped and ample parking place for vehicles among others. But in the Veermata Jijabai Bhonsle Udyan visitors are not happy with all facilities.
The path, leading to various animal enclosures, is not smooth. It is broken at many places, which leads to inconvenience for visitors. Physically-handicapped visitors find it demanding to navigate through the path. Toilets are not cleaned frequently. Visitors have to submit all bags containing eatables at the gate without a proper caretaker. There is no protective shelter for visitors at the ticket counter. The purpose of the zoo is to educate visitors about the animals and trees through display boards but that facility is lacking.
Welfare of animals