Citizen Inspection Reports: October 2011

Veermata Jijabai Bhosle Udyan / Mumbai Zoo

Run by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)

Citizen Inspection Report

Prepared by

Plant & Animals Welfare Society - Mumbai
29 . 10 . 2011 / Saturday

Introduction

As Plant & Animals Welfare Society – Mumbai (PAWS-Mumbai) office received many complaints about Veermata Jijabai Bhosle Udyan commonly known as Mumbai Zoo, so on October 29, 2011, Saturday at around 3:00 PM, PAWS-Mumbai team consist of four members (Sunish Subramanian Kunju / Nathassha Sikka / Chandramani Yadav / Nisha S. K.) have made surprise visit as a visitor by purchasing ticket of visitor (No.0058002/3/4/5) of Rs. 5/- each, Photography (Camera) ticket (No. 02270) of Rs. 10/- and Parking Ticket (No. 8382) of Rs. 5/-.

Lioness (Nos. 1)

There was only one weak lioness.
There was no cave or any other natural environment provided.
No water in enclosure even in bowl.
As the animal was resting but visitors were teasing her. As there was no caretaker near enclosure.
The animal was looking depressed as she was single or kept alone since long time.
The nearby enclosures were empty.

Elephant (Nos. 2)

Crocodile (Nos. 5)

The water level in the pond was very less and seen like water hasn’t been changes since many days.
*Surprised and shocking to see inhuman way of treating animals by the caretaker itself in this crocodile enclosure. A caretaker named Krishna was with stick to make public appearance inside the enclosure. There were five crocodiles which were kept in four different compartments, two in big water pond one in small Pound & two were kept in two different dry areas. He was hitting crocodiles with stick on mouth & tail portion and teasing them with the plastic bottle which he found inside the enclosure.
Visitors especially children / kids were throwing stones on resting animals.
Plastic waste was seen inside and around the crocodile enclosure.

Monkey

There were four large enclosures for monkeys. The grills of the enclosure rusted.
Visitors were teasing monkeys and enjoying their self.
We found no food and water in any of the enclosure.
Rats were found roaming inside the enclosure.
No natural environment was provided or any things like toys, tyres, rope, mirror for entertainment.

Blue Bull (Nos. around 7)

They are kept in two open enclosures, in one there were one baby and two elder and in other two babies and three elder blue bulls were seen.
The enclosures were totally dry not a single drop was water seen and even food too. As they are searching for water was clearly seen.
Visitors were teasing and throwing stones inside enclosure.
No natural environment was provided inside the enclosures.

Spotted Deer

They are kept in two large open enclosures.
The enclosures were totally dry not a single drop of water was seen and even food too. As they are searching for water was clearly seen.
Visitors were throwing leaves by plugging from nearby plants.
We seen one caretaker near this enclosures who was busy in making (rubbing on hand) tambakku (tobacco).

Emu (Nos. 4)

They are in an open enclosure.
One of the Emu is looking like sick / ill or Emu was very thirsty so that he can’t possible to stand too.
Visitors were busy in teasing job.
Not a single drop of water or no fodder was seen inside the enclosure as they are searching of it be seen.

Bear (Nos. 1)

We had seen a bear resting in water pond, whose water level was very less and unclean.
As the bear was resting visitors were teasing / throwing stone on it, so he was unable to rest.
Den of the bear enclosure are in very danger condition, it was been seen broken in some place, which may cause harm to the animal.
As the bear was alone there was nothing for his entertainment, we seen scrap like rusted iron structure, which is very dangers and may harm the animals.
No natural environment was provided.

Barking Deer

They are kept in two different open enclosures, big and young ones were kept in two different enclosures.
No caretaker seen near enclosure so visitors were busy in teasing & throwing stone for enjoyments.
Not a single drop of water seen inside the enclosure.
It looks like they are leaving on the dried leaves.

Hyena (Nos. 2)

There were two hyenas that were kept in two different enclosures.
No natural atmosphere was provided to them.
Not a single drop of water for drink or food for eating was seen inside both the enclosures.
One of the hyena is always quite sleeping inside the cave, no one till now seen him out of the cave and other one is always moving from one end of the enclosure to other end. As they look like mentally depressed.
Visitors throwing stones to see the hyena to come out so that they will possible to see it.

Hippopotamus (Nos. 3)

There were three hippopotamus (hippo) which were kept in two different enclosures; two in one and other was alone.
Unclean & water level in the pond was very low.
Pigeons & crows were torturing the hippo
One of the hippo was single and seen depressed.

Rhinoceros (Nos. 1)

Only one old rhinoceros (rhino) kept in an open enclosure since long years.
The water had not cleaned for long time.
Crows were troubling the rhino by plugging the wounds on the body, it seen like body has got many wounds. It looks like sick & ill.
Visitors around it was teasing rhino due to which it was depressed
Crows were all around unclean water pond.

Birds (Wild, Exotic, Aquatic)

There were birds like White cockatiels, Golden Pheasant, Hill Myna, African Grey Parrot, Military Macaw, Horn Bill, White Parrots, Love Birds & few others, not a single bird have provided with natural environment inside any enclosure.
There were no water or food was kept in most of the enclosure. The water of the aquatic bird’s enclosure was not cleaned and water level is very less.
Rats seen in most of the bird’s enclosures & Plastic waste were also seen.
Visitors were feeding birds also seen.

Common Observation

Most of the enclosures are empty and animals presents enclosure are small without any natural habitat.
Zoo care takers are appointed for look after the animal and not for making pain to the animals such cruel care takers are not to be there in Zoo’s.
Most of the staff is unqualified, uneducated, untrained.
Staff running and parking their personal bikes inside zoo.
Plastic bottle, plastic waste /gutka pauch / caps of cold drinks are seen lying inside zoo premises even inside the enclosure.
As the Mumbai temperature is very hot and not a single enclosures having water and the trees in the zoo are also not been watered.
Rats, pigeons, crows are torturing the animals and birds.
Injured and sick animals are been kept for display.
Security systems are very poor, as a result the san boa was went missing in past.
No education or awareness in the zoo for visitors.
Care takers where not there near any of the enclosures.

Suggestion

*Zoo should be closed down or by use the empty enclosure space the other enclosure should make large with natural environment should provided. So that animal should not feel like they are been caged. Till that time Central Zoo Authority (CZA) should not give them any recognition.
Qualified, educated, trained staff should be appointed and citizen volunteers should be invited for help during crowded days.
Water should be there in all the enclosures as the temperature in Mumbai is very hot and which should be cleaned daily or in 2 – 3 days otherwise we may loss life of animals due to infection.
Visitors should be educated for the same awareness center should be setup in the entrance of the zoo.
There should be total band on entry of staff vehicles inside the zoo, as it is pollution free zone.
Injured animals should be not kept for display for public.
For entertainment of animal and birds there should be some play toys.