NP: Alarming death rate among Central Zoo animals

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*Alarming death rate among Central Zoo animals *

 

http://myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details & news_id=16048

 

 

AKANSHYA SHAH

 

 

 

KATHMANDU, Mar 9: The Central Zoo is facing an alarming death rate among its

captive animals. In just one year, the zoo has lost 191 animals, an average

of one every two days. While the total number of animals was 1,004 in the

year 2008-09, it came down to 813 in 2009-10, according to the zoo

inventory.

 

During the same period, the number of mammals has come down from 235 to 210.

Although the report is silent on the number of deaths of protected and

endangered species, it is clear from some examples that vulnerable ones too

have succumbed.

 

Of the three Himalayan black bears and one sloth bear in the possession of

the zoo, only one Himalayan black bear remains. The black bear is listed in

the CITES Appendix 2 and the sloth bear in Appendix 1 of the international

convention. The sloth bear was rescued from Kasara. Similarly, the number of

leopards declined from five to just two.

 

The bears in the zoo have died of jaundice, the most common disease among

these omnivores. “The bears have died of jaundice originating from liver

problem,” Sarita Jnawali, project director at the zoo, said.

 

She claimed that the bears died even after they were provided prescribed

food items. “We share the food items with London Zoo, but even then we lost

them,” she said, pointing to the apparent lack of any reason for the deaths.

 

Jnawali, however, claimed that the number of species has remained almost

static over the past few years. But going by the zoo´s own data, the number

of species in 2008-09 was 113 and it came down to 108 in 2009-10.

 

There are 14 or 15 endangered species in the zoo, including Asiatic

elephant, tiger, rhino, ghariyal, black buck, rock python, arna wild

buffalo, lophophorus pheasant and others. The total number of endangered,

protected and vulnerable species is 62.

 

The zoo also has white-rumped vulture, the only native species, which is in

a critically endangered list, and the Chinese alligator, an exotic

endangered species.

 

With an annual budget of approximately Rs 60 million , Rs 950,000 is spent

on food products for the animals, birds, reptiles, fishes and others. The

zoo is managed by the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC).

 

Worse still, the figure includes animals received by the zoo after being

rescued or as donations, which has brought the number to 191. “The figure

paints a gloomy picture of the state of animals at the zoo. It has to be

borne in mind that the authorities have also counted new additions to arrive

at the figure of 191,” Mahesh Sharma, a member of Roots & Shoots, an NGO

working in conservation, said.

 

He claimed that the decline is related to inappropriate housing, lack of

nourishment and lack of up-to-the-mark welfare facilities.

 

Arguing that a current survey shows over 60 percent of zoo visitors have

prioritized conservation over entertainment, education and training, Sharma

said, “The loss can be related to the stress level of animals kept in

unhealthy situations. This is also the result of prioritizing

commercialization over welfare.”

 

 

akanshya

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Lucia de Vries