VEERMATA JIJABAI BHOSLE UDYAN - MUMBAI ZOO
Managed by : Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation
CITIZEN INSPECTION REPORT
Prepared by : Plant & Animals Welfare Society - Mumbai
SATURDAY 23rd AUGUST 2014
INTRODUTION
As Plant & Animals Welfare Society – Mumbai (PAWS-Mumbai) office received complaints about poor condition of animals and on other side it was shocking to know that zoo management is planning to bring 6 Penguins at Rs. 2.4 Crore and for its upkeep Rs. 19 Crore at Veermata Jijabai Bhosle Udyan commonly known as Mumbai Zoo managed by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. So we as a animal lovers, member of animal welfare group and citizen of Mumbai decided to visit the zoo as a visitor to find out the present condition of zoo upkeep and find fact by purchasing tickets (Visitor Ticket of Rs. 5/- each No. 0057056 / 57 / 58 / 59 / 60 & 0057397, Camera Ticket of Rs. 10/- No. 06790 & Parking Ticket of Rs. 5/- No. 022143 on Saturday 23rd August 2014.
PAWS-Mumbai team who visited the zoo :
Sunish Subramanain Kunju
Secretary : Plant & Animals Welfare Society - Mumbai
Hony. Animal Welfare Officer : Animal Welfare Board of India
Hony. Animal Welfare Officer : Committee Monitor Animal Welfare Laws in Maharashtra
Nisha Subramanain Kunju
Administrator : Plant & Animals Welfare Society - Mumbai
Hony. Animal Welfare Officer : Animal Welfare Board of India
Savita Karalkar
Vishnu M. Nair
Kalpesh E. Pate
COMMON OBSERVATION
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The zoo at present is not in a good condition.
- Most of the enclosures were found to be empty and the ones where the animals were present were small with no natural habitat inside. The iron grills of the enclosures were found to be rusted and there was lack of proper maintenance.
- Most of the staff is unqualified, uneducated, untrained.
- Most of the enclosures are not having name & description board.
- Most of the open water lines around the enclosures are very unhygienic with waste papers and dry leaves inside the water. Water level is very less and seems it is not cleaned from a very long time.
- The visitors are found carrying plastic bags inside the zoo; as per the laws, zoo should be a plastic free zone.
- The visitors were found feeding animals and there were no caretakers near any of the enclosures.
- Zoo employers / visitors were found riding bikes and parking inside the zoo.
- Rats seen in most of the enclosures and rat trap was found in one of the bird enclosure.
- Stray cat was found inside one of the enclosure.
- Rats, pigeons, crows were seen bothering the animals and birds.
- Injured and sick animals are been kept for display.
- No education or awareness programme in the zoo for visitors.
- One of the caretaker who resides near elephant’s enclosure was found selling the soil/mud which is found beneath the elephant’s legs as good luck on demand by people who approach him.
OBSERVATION ENCLOSURE WISE
Elephant
- There were 2 old / weak elephants in an open enclosure.
- Both the elephants where chained in 2 different shed.
- Their condition reflects that they are in trauma & stress as they are kept chained for long hours or days.
- Their conditions reflect that they are been chained for a very longer time and are not allowed to move freely or enjoy the water inside the pond.
- No care takers seen near the enclosure.
Monkey
- There were 10 monkeys which were kept in 4 different enclosures.
- Enclosures were rusted, no natural environment was provided or no toys for playing was seen inside the enclosure.
- Visitors were found feeding and teasing the monkeys.
- No water was present inside the enclosure.
- Rat was found inside the enclosure feeding itself with the food fallen inside the enclosure.
- No care takers was present near the enclosure.
Crocodile
- There were 3 crocodiles in an enclosure and seemed to be caged and away from the water.
- The water in enclosures built for the crocodiles is not clean and hygienic
- Paper particles and dry leaves were found inside the water and water level seems to be very less. It seems that the water has not been cleaned from a very long time.
- No care takers was present near the enclosure.
Bear
- There was only 1 bear seen resting in the enclosure.
- The water level was very less and unclean, seems not been cleaned for many days.
- As the bear was resting, visitors were teasing / throwing stones on it.
- Den of the bear enclosure are in very dangerous condition, it was seen broken in some places, which can cause harm to the animal.
- As bear was alone, there was nothing for his entertainment, we found scrap like rusted iron structure, which is very dangerous and may harm the animals.
- No natural environment was provided.
- There was a loud noise of a huge water pump just besides the bear enclosure due to which the bear was unable to rest.
- No care takers seen near the enclosure.
Barking Deer & Blue Bull
- There were barking deer’s in a large enclosures and blue bulls were there in other enclosure.
- Herons and crows were seen bothering them.
- No natural environment was provided.
- No food was there and the water level found to be very less. It seems that the water has not been cleaned from past many days.
- No care takers seen near the enclosure.
Spotted Deer & Black Buck
- Large number of spotted deer’s and black bucks were kept in large enclosures.
- No food seen and the water level seems to be very less. It seems that the water has not been cleaned from past many days. Herons and crows were seen bothering them.
- No natural environment was provided.
- No care takers seen near the enclosure.
Hippopotamus
- There were two hippopotamus (hippo) in 2 different open enclosure.
- Their body looked like they had injuries and crows were eating flesh from the wound.
- The water level seems to be very less. It seems that the water has not been cleaned from past many days.
- Pigeons & crows were bothering the hippo and rat seen inside the enclosure.
- No natural environment was provided.
- No care takers seen near the enclosure.
Porcupine
- There was only one porcupine in an enclosure.
- No natural environment was provided and it was resting in a plastic drum.
- Water was not seen in the enclosure.
- Rat seen inside the enclosure.
- No care takers seen near the enclosure.
Snake
- The snake enclosure room was closed and there was a board stating that “Closed due to repair work” but no repair work found around.
- We could find only one snake and that is Python which was seen through the glass.
- No natural environment was provided and the enclosure was in a very bad and pathetic condition.
- Rat seen freely roaming inside snake enclosure room.
- No care takers seen near the enclosure.
Sambar Deer, Crocodile & Gharial
- We found predators (Crocodile & Gharil) and prey sambar deers in a same open enclosure which has a huge pond.
- Visitors were throwing stones inside the water to see crocodile & gharial’s movements.
- Rats seen freely roaming inside the enclosure.
- Dead birds, plastic wastes could be seen inside the enclosure.
- No care takers seen near the enclosure.
- There were 4 emu’s in two enclosures and the enclosures were in a very poor condition.
- Food was there but water was not provided.
- Rat seen freely roaming in the enclosure.
- No care takers seen near the enclosure.
- There were 2 hyna’s in two different enclosures.
- Stray cats and rat seen freely roaming in the enclosure.
- No food or water was provided.
- Visitors were teasing the animals who were resting.
- No natural environment was provided.
- No care takers seen near the enclosure.
Birds
- There were birds like white Cockateil, African Grey Parrot, Military Macaw, Chrysoliphus Pictus, Golden Pheasant, Indian Peafowl, Grey Peacock Pheasant, Indian Parrots, Love Birds, White Crow, Dove, Blossom Headed Parakeet, Pelican, White Ibis, Saras Crane, Painted Stork were seen in the enclosures.
- No natural habitats were provided in any of the bird enclosures.
- Rat seen freely roaming in the enclosure and rat trap was also found inside one of the enclosure.
- Water was not provided in most of the enclosures and water level was very low and unclean in 2 large enclosures.
- Visitor were feeding the birds.
- No care takers seen near any of the bird enclosure.
SUGGESTION
- *Zoo should be closed down and convert the area into botanical garden or use the empty enclosures to make large enclosures with natural environment as per the species so that the animals should not feel like they are been caged. Till that time Central Zoo Authority (CZA) should not give them any recognition.
- As Mumbai Zoo is one of the oldest zoo, but zoo has only history of losing number of animals / birds every year. So CZA should not give any permission to bring species which is not found in India like Penguins for which Mumbai Zoo managements is planning to bring 6 Penguins at Rs. 2.4 Crore and for its upkeep Rs. 19 Crore. *On one side Mumbai Zoo has failed to keep our native species in a better condition whereas on the other side they are planning to bring foreign species.
- *As per CZA Circular File No. 7-5/2006-CZA (Vol.II) Dated 7th November 2009, it states the banning of elephants from zoo collection, but still Mumbai Zoo is having 2 elephants in their custody.
- It has been seen that Mumbai Zoo is openly violating the CZA guidelines. The condition of animals are very poor which is witnessed by citizen, animal lovers, media but the CZA team who visits the zoo never find any objection.
- *Qualified, educated, trained staff should be appointed and citizen volunteers should be invited for help during crowded days. Zoo management should approach Colleges or NGOs for volunteers.
- Visitors should be educated and an awareness center should be setup at the entrance of the zoo.
- *There should be a total ban on entry of staff vehicles inside the zoo, as the zoo is a pollution free zone.
- There should be a total ban of plastic bags and plastic products and food items inside the zoo.
- Injured animals should not be kept for display to the public.
- For entertainment of animal and birds there should be some play toys.
- Water and food should be provided to all the animals from time to time.
- *Zoo / Enclosures should be made rat, stray cats & dogs free.
- *Staff Quarters should not be inside the zoo camps.
- *Predator (Crocodile & Gharil) and Prey (Sambar Deers) should be kept in separate enclosures.
- Board stating name & number of animals & birds etc., should be displayed at the entrance of the zoo.
- Complaint desk should be setup at the entrance of the zoo.
- Description of species should be there on all enclosures.
- *We request Central Zoo Authority, Animal Welfare Board of India, Maharashtra State Animals Welfare Board and Committee to Monitor Animal Welfare Laws in Maharashtra to look into the well-being of voiceless animals at Mumbai Zoo as cruelty is happening and animal welfare laws and CZA guideline are openly violated by Veermata Jijabai Bhosle Udyan - Mumbai Zoo management.
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