Just a day after the death of Dory, the 1.5-year-old Humboldt penguin at Byculla zoo, the authorities are now looking at getting a free replacement
Just a day after the death of Dory, the 1.5-year-old Humboldt penguin at Byculla zoo, the authorities are now looking at getting a free replacement. Turns out, the penguins, which were brought to the city on July 26, are still in their ‘warranty’ period.
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Read Story: Mumbai: Humboldt penguin dies at Byculla Zoo after digestive complications
Deputy municipal commissioner and zoo in-charge Sudhir Naik said, “The penguins were in the warranty period of three months. As per the contract clause, if anything happens to them in this period, the supplier is supposed to replace them for free.”
‘Wasn’t our fault’
The BMC has already written to the procurement agency, Goa Trade. A senior civic official said, “Now, we have to see the company’s reply. As per the conditions, the replacement will only be possible if the penguin’s death is proved to be natural.”
According to the post-mortem report, the 1.5-year-old penguin likely died due to bacterial infection, leading to septicaemia. The zoo officials said that the responsibility of caring for the birds lay with the experts from the Australian agency, Oceanis, and US-based company SIVAT. “We were only helping these agencies to take care of penguins since they have the expertise for the job. Our role was very limited and we were only providing a helping hand. So they will be responsible for the death of bird,” said a zoo official.
Case to be filed?
Even if they get a free replacement though, the zoo might not get out of this controversy scot-free. Animal activist Sunish Subramanian, who is secretary of the Plant and Animals Welfare Society (PAWS), has demanded that an FIR be registered against the zoo under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
Subramanian said, “The fact that the penguin died within 90 days highlights the way the animals are being handled by the zoo authorities. The zoo enclosures have become old and are in a very bad condition. The authorities are neglecting the upkeep of the animals. The quarantine area, where the penguin was held, should be inspected. The Central Zoo Authority should cancel the zoo’s licence and should not allow any new animals to be brought in.”
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