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Zoo chiefs to meet in Madras to discuss tiger deaths

Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow

The Supreme Court's scathing observations on the spate of tiger deaths in Orissa's Nandankanan zoological park has shaken up Indian wildlife authorities.

A two-day meet of the heads of India's 60 zoological parks and state chief wildlife wardens has been called by the Union Environment Ministry in Madras on July 19 and 20 to discuss the issue.

Disclosing this, Uttar Pradesh forest secretary Pradeep Kumar described the meeting as the first of its kind in the country.

Said Kumar, "Among other things, the meeting will discuss the key issue of handling old and infirm animals, which often act as carriers of diseases and infections."

In many western countries mercy killing of old and ailing animals is allowed. "When it is a question of choosing between saving healthy or chronically ill animals, you have to save the healthy ones; but even though the Wildlife Protection Act provides for mercy killing, it was not done in India, and any talk about it always leads to a hue and cry."

Kumar cited last year's case of 'Vrinda', the then badly-ailing lioness in Lucknow zoo, whose proposed mercy killing evoked nationwide outrage. Eventually, the plan was given up but the lioness died after some time.

The meet will also discuss the need for chalking out a dietary plan for all zoo animals. So far, in the absence of any scientific study, the dietary requirements of different species was left to the discretion of zoo authorities or caretakers, who have little knowledge of the actual habitat or natural diet of the animals.

"For instance, while a tiger or a lion in a jungle normally feeds on deer or monkeys, only beef is fed in the zoos," Kumar pointed out.

He also agreed that little was done to check the quality of food. Compromises are often made due to financial constraints, but pilferage and corruption was also rampant.

The meet is also expected to review the physical parameters for animal enclosures. "Congestion is a common problem in most Indian zoos and rarely does one find an animal with the desired minimum space in any zoological park," the forest secretary said.

Direct on-line networking with wildlife bodies across the world will also be discussed.

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