SC worried due to overcrowdng of zoos

New Delhi, Sep 3 (UNI) Taking serious view of the rising population of animals in the zoos across the country, the Supreme Court has directed the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to explain within four weeks steps it is taking to ensure proper care and medical facilities for the animals.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal, Justice C K Thakker and Justice R V Raveendran, on Friday issued the directions on the petition filed by the People For Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) seeking directions to the CZA to order the Zoos not to permit breeding of animals beyond the number specified by the CZA.

The petitioner NGO has also sought directions to appoint a trained curator, veterinarian and also to provide full fledged veterinary unit with diagnostic facilities for ensuring humane care to the animals.

Overcrowded Zoos, according to the petitioner, include Shakarabagh Zoo, Junagarh Lion&Tiger Safari Shimoga, Karnataka, Hyderabad Zoo, Indira Gandhi Zoo, Vishakhapatnam, Chatrabir Zoo, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Patna, Baroda, Lucknow and Bhilai Zoos and Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad.

The petitioner NGO has also prayed to the court to direct CZA not to recognise any Zoo till it fulfilled conditions laid down by the CZA as large number of Zoos in the country were functioning without recognition and the condition of the natives of these zoos was miserable.

About 159 recognised zoos in the country have a population of 28,607 animals. In all, 81 zoos in the country, whose applications for recognition have been rejected, continue to function even after that. In addition, there are 148 establishments like small deer parks, hotels, institutes circuses etc which possess large number of animals for the purpose of exhibition.

UNI AKS SC SHB RK0856