The death of a five-year-old Hippopotamus at the Byculla zoo has made animal rights organisation raise eyebrows over the apathy towards animals in the metropolis.
The death of a five-year-old Hippopotamus at the Byculla zoo has made animal rights organisation raise eyebrows over the apathy towards animals in the metropolis.
The animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has decided to shoot off a letter to Central Zoo Authority, Delhi asking them to explain why the High Court order for improving the condition of animals in the zoo has not been implemented.
"We would sent a letter to Central Zoo Authority inquiring the reason behind the animal's death and the conditions of the zoo not improved," said Anuradha Sawhney, Chief Functionary, PETA. "
"We would await for a response from them. If they do not take the matter seriously then we will move the High Court," Sawhney said.
The activists across the city are against zoos in the city and also plan to protest against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) Rs 430 crore zoo revamp plan.
The civic body have chalked out a Rs 430 crore modernisation plan to improve the condition of the zoo as well as that of its caged inhabitants.
"Shakti (Hippopotamus) died due to negligence. People who are responsible for this must be answerable," said animal activist Fiza Shah.
In the year 2005, PETA had filed a case against the Veer Jeejamata Zoo in south Mumbai's Byculla for failing to provide even the most basic care for its animals.
Following this, the Bombay High Court bench asked the civic body and the State Secretary of Forests to provide clean food and water to the animals and maintain hygienic conditions in the enclosures, prevent visitors from teasing, injuring or feeding any animals.
The order also said to relocate the aged, infirm and sick animals to rescue centres, to appoint a panel of experts on the housing, upkeep and behaviour of the animals.
"There has been no proper implementation of the HC's orders. It has been four years and still there is no improvement," Sawhney said.
"We don't want animals to be showcased for entertainment for people. Zoo provides visitors with an opportunity to learn about nature and wildlife," Shah said. But, the lack of expertise and inadequate infrastructures causes zoo to fail, she added.
"The very idea behind zoos is inherently flawed in the first place. We want them to be in Botanical Park and Nature Interpretation Centre," she said.
"The death of the hippo was an unfortunate incident. This is not the first time, earlier also a large number of blackbucks died at the zoo in 2006," said animal rights activist Bittu Sahgal.
At that time, the HC had sacked some officials and even issued some directives, but complacency appears to have crept in again, he said.
"The zoo at Byculla has the finest specimens of trees in Asia and should be protected as a Botanical Park and Nature Interpretation Centre," Sahgal said.
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