Zoo you have any shame?
Byculla zoos security was beefed up after the death of a trespasser, but visitors remain a far cry from civilised norms……… By Vikas Hotwani and Virat A singh
The five-rupee ticket to the Veermata Jijabai Bhonsle Udyaan lists a set of etiquettes for every visitor. However, like every other instruction manual, the directives are conveniently overlooked, let alone following them.
The five-rupee ticket to the Veermata Jijabai Bhonsle Udyaan lists a set of etiquettes for every visitor. However, like every other instruction manual, the directives are conveniently overlooked, let alone following them.
A day after two elephants, named Lakshmi and Anarkali, killed a 25-year-old who jumped into their enclosure, there’s little decorum among the visitors at this zoo.
While the authorities decided to contain the two elephants in their shed for the day so as to observe their behaviour, a test drive conducted by this newspaper revealed an appalling lack of etiquette knowledge among the visitors. Outside the enclosure, the visitors continued to tease, clap, and shout to get the animal’s attention. And though the staff was present at certain instances, little was done to contain them. For Mumbai Mirror, Animal activist Sunish Subramanian of PAWS and his volunteer who crossed different enclosures’ barricades at many instances were met with little or no objection.
While the maximum fine for various offences (from littering to teasing animals) is Rs 100, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (DMC) Gardens, Chandrashekhar Rokde, suggested in January that the fine for teasing animals be increased to Rs 500. However it is yet to be implemented. According to security officials at Byculla Zoo, on weekends and public holidays there are around 30,000 visitors, and from these, they are able to catch around four to 10 people for teasing or harassing the animals. From the throng of howling visitors that we chanced upon, it sounds like a shockingly low sum.
* Flouting zoo rules, the PAWS volunteer goes past the barriers and meets minimum resistance
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Better security needed
When Vikas Hotwani from Mumbai Mirror tried getting close to the female black buck to get a better picture of the animal, it became evident as to how easy it is for miscreants to breach into the animal’s enclosure. He crossed the garden area, sat at the parapet, and jumped into the surrounding pit. Only after he reached inside did he come to the notice of animal keepers and security staff who then hauled him up for going too close to the animal.
He was taken to the Control Office where the officials gave him a tough tongue-lashing for his careless behaviour and trespassing into the prohibited territory. After considerable explaining, he was given a strict warning and made to sign an apology note.
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Next time when visiting the zoo, get your act right. Here’s how
Don’t
Go in rowdy groups. Dont make a noise. Animals may be sleeping and may be restless or more dangerous if woken suddenly!
Carry any plastic bottles or packets of chips. A zoo is not a picnic spot. Plastic can be eaten by the animals by mistake and they may die.
Throw stones if an animal is not visible in his/her enclosure. Respect the privacy of the animal. All animals feel pain.
Cross over the stand off barriers erected in front of enclosures. A monkey can easily put his arm through the enclosure bars and grab your child or even you. That’s how accidents take place.
Enter the enclosure of the animal. Staying defenseless in front of a wild animal puts you at high risk. No matter how docile the animal may seem when you are outside the cage, a wild animal can cause harm.
Litter. It encourages rats and flies who gorge on the leftover food. They can even spread diseases to visitors, keepers as well as animals.
Feed the animals. They have fixed feeding times and are fed specific food. No matter how hungry they may seem, they should not be fed chips or sandwiches.
Make fun of animals. When you see the jackal running around his cage for no apparent reason or the elephant swaying from side to side, do not laugh. Remember, this is how the animal is coping with the insanity of being locked up 24*7.
Do
Ask the zoo keepers for the animals’ history and read about them on the sign board outside the enclosure. A zoo is set up for education. There’s no point visiting it if you don’t leave educated!
Inform the animal keeper if you see any injured or distressed animal. Your prompt attention may save the life of an animal or at the least prevent further suffering.
Inform the animal keeper if you see any enclosure which does not have water and get the keeper to provide water immediately – all animals need free access to water unless prohibited by a doctor.
Stop other visitors from harassing or teasing an animal and if need be report them to the security staff – remember you should speak up for animals since they cannot.
– Anuradha Sawhney, animal right activist and co-opted member of Animal Welfare Board of India