The Plight of Mumbai Zoo

[Guest guest]

INPECTION REPORT ON MUMBAI ZOO

(Known as Byculla Zoo, run by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation)

 

By,

 

 

P.A.W.S. (Plant & Animals Welfare Society, Thane)

 

 

Address of the Zoo:

Veer Jijamata Udyan,

Byculla,

Mumbai.

Maharashtra.

 

 

Names & Designations of the Persons visiting the ZOO:

 

1. Ms. Anuradha Ramaswamy – Founder Trustee & Treasurer, PAWS

Hony. Animal Welfare Officer, AWBI

 

2. Mr. Vishal Kantharia – Volunteer PAWS (A Reptile expert)

 

 

3. Ms. Anahita Kumar - Volunteer PAWS

 

 

4. Mr. Kishor Savle – Rescue Staff PAWS

Hony. Animal Welfare Officer, AWBI

 

 

 

Day, Date and Time of Visit

Saturday, 26th August 2006, 1.00pm

 

Report Prepared & Compiled by,

Nilesh Bhanage – Animal Welfare Officer – Govt. of India

– Gen. Secretary & Founder Trustee – PAWS

 

 

 

CONTENTS

 

1. Introduction

 

2. Snakes

 

3. Elephants

 

4. Crocodiles & Alligators

 

5. Bear

 

6. Hyna

 

7. Aquatic Birds

 

8. Monkeys

 

9. Spotted Dear

 

10. Other Observations / Remarks

 

11. Suggested Rehabilitation and Up-keep Programme

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zoo owned by:

The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation.

 

Present Location of Zoo:

Near Byculla Rly. Station, Byculla East, Mumbai

Introduction

 

PAWS team decided to visit the Mumbai zoo on Saturday. Approximately over

250 animals & birds are presently kept confined in the zoo. There was no

assistance, when we asked official permission to inspect the zoo. We

decided to purchase tickets & visit the zoo as a visitor. Photographs of

some animals were taken.

 

The Major Points to be noted as follows:-

1. The rains were heavily pouring in, that was pathetic for some animals

like deer as cages were open from top.

2. All most all enclosures are very unsafe for people as well as animals;

anybody can feed the animals anything easily. The Zoo Guards were not

bothered about it and behaving as Municipal worker then a real caretaker.

3. Some months back, few dear died due to unknown reason, I asked

permission from the Animal Welfare Board but did not have any reply so

unable to inspect the registration, breeding, Vaccination papers

thoroughly.

4. Many cages found rusty & broken, which may hurt animals.

5. The Park is having huge garden, which is used by couples for XXXX.

6. The feeding was prohibited as mentioned on ticket, but people openly

feeding the ducks, monkeys & even crocodiles.

7. People were banging the glass cases of the snake enclosures & literally

teasing snakes.

8. Gutkha Pouches found in & near many cages.

9. All dear enclosures were overcrowded.

10. The shocking thing is all Monkey cages were rat infested. The rats &

monkeys both deadly carriers of different diseases.

11. No water found in the ponds for black swans & even python.

12. This most stupid idea, which the zoo officials kept, bowls for

drinking water to snakes. Thank to god they did not kept forks & spoon to

have food.

 

 

 

 

 

Snakes

 

1. No food was given to snakes during the day.

2. People teasing snakes openly.

3. Visitors were trying to break the glass of snake chamber.

4. Young wild caught baby cobra found in the park, the question arises

about capturing of the animal without permission of Central Zoo Authority

(CZA).

5. The drinking water was kept in small bowl but only in one enclosure.

6. The temperature was NOT maintained for different species of snakes.

7. Some snake hooks, boxes were found in cages which may harm the reptiles.

8. The size of snake enclosures was too small for movement & looked like

kept exhibition.

9. The ground was hard & made of cement.

 

 

Elephants

 

1. There are 3 elephants in the zoo presently.

2. The health condition of the elephants is very poor; they have got

several injuries on their bodies.

3. The history of the elephants, they brought wild captured & taken away

from mother.

4. The back side of the elephant enclosures was not safe, anyone can enter

in the tent.

5. One of the Mahout got hurt when the Male Elephant came in ‘must’

condition.

6. The other mahout was washing his own cloths in the elephant enclosure.

The soap was mixed in the water.

7. The uneducated zoo officials tried to mate male elephant with female

elephant in last month, the male elephant is around 20 yr. old & female

elephant are around 50 yr. old, the male elephant injured both females

while unsuccessful mating, both females collapsed & several leg injured

occurred. This is an height of Uncaring, insufficient education in zoo

up-keeping when they tried to mate young elephant with old female

elephants.

8. In past 2 elephants were gifted to Japan by this Zoo.

9. All the elephants were tied on front & back leashes during day time.

The keeper told us that they are left openly generally.

10. All the elephants were developed pigmentation on their ears, neck & body,

11. Mahouts confirmed the elephants eat mud along with regular food, due

to this they developed stomach disease.

12. They Oil massage was not regular & only on head.

13. The mahouts got negative influence & dominance, command on elephants

which may harm the mahouts in future.

14. No vaccination is provided to the elephants throughout the year.

15. All the three Elephants were banging the head towards upwards

continuously, it means they developed Boredom.

16. The elephant enclosure was very unhygienic & dung was spreaded

everywhere.

17. There is no seasonal change in the food of the elephant.

 

 

 

Wounded Leg of Female Elephant

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crocodiles & Alligators

1. All the crocodiles were together, 2 of them fighting for food.

2. The water level in crocodile pond was too less.

3. The crocodile / Ghadiyal were kept along with sambar in same enclosure.

4. People were throwing stones, dust, leaves inside the crocodile’s pond.

5. Empty Gutkha pouches were thrown in the enclosures.

6. The pond water was too stagnant & not cleaned from ages.

 

Bear

 

1. There was only one bear in the park.

2. The bear was uncomfortable in current enclosure.

3. There was no food & water inside.

4. People were teasing the bear.

 

 

Hyna

1. There was only one hyna.

2. There was no food & water kept for him

 

Aquatic Birds

 

1. All the birds were starving & desperately waiting for the food.

2. The bird enclosure was fully crowded with atleast fifteen species of

the birds with approximately 70 birds confined.

3. The water level in the pond was low, ducklings were not able even swim.

4. The duck were fighting for food with Pelicans, Cranes & Sauras.

5. The birds were fighting for space in groups.

 

 

Monekys

1. There were only 3 rhesus monkeys in one cage.

2. The cagas were fully rat infested.

3. The rat was eating all the food given to the monkeys.

4. Due lake of calcium all the monkeys were suffering from skin disorder.

5. There was no Type, toys, rope & mirror for excersize.

6. There was no water kept in monkey shelter.

 

 

Barking Dear / Sambar / spotted dear

 

1. There 2 pairs for barking dear out of which one pair kept with male

Neelgai.

2. Dear enclosure was crowded.

3. Male neelgai was separated from females.

4. Metal scrap was lying in sambar cages.

5. The stagnant water kept for drinking.

6. The enclosures were very small for the movement.

7. Visitors were throwing food to animals & also to attract animal’s

attention, they are throwing wood particles, stones.

 

Other Observations

 

1. The Rhino is full with body injures, the flies were sitting on the

injuries, which was making him irritated & he was running abnormally. The

rhino doesn’t have mate, his horn was cutted.

2. The 3 hippo’s were kept in different cages.

3. Lion & Lioness cages were different & separated.

4. No water found in Python cages.

5. There are no proper feeding facilities for the animals. It seems that

the animal are given water / food as per the keepers schedule, that is why

they have no free access to water at their will during the day of night.

6. 24hrs Vety. Facility was not there.

 

 

Suggested Enhancement

 

1. The overall zoo condition is poor, so there are no chances of

improvement at all.

2. Zoo should have a committee Dist. Vet, representative of NGO’s, AWBI’s

Animal Welfare Officers & local humanitarians who can give surprise visit

any time during the day or night.

3. At the outset we ask the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to close

down the zoo & Tran locate all the animals, birds & Reptiles to

rehabilitation center. Transform later zoo into huge garden.