Zoo director in trouble for illegally keeping animal skins

Aurangabad, Maharashtra, May 6 (UNI) A case has been registered against the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC)-run Siddhartha Garden Zoo Director Dr S V Rizvi by the forest department here for illegally keeping 93 wild animal skins in the Zoo, according to officials.

Talking to reporters here today, Chief Conservator of Forests A K Nigam said Dr Rizvi had violated the Wildlife Act by illegally keeping such skins in the Zoo.

The Forest Department has registered a Preliminary Offence Report (POR) against Dr Rizvi under sections 39, 40 and 41(a) of the Wildlife Act which entails a minimum punishment of two years imprisonment and a maximum of seven years. The violation of the Act also entails a fine of Rs 25,000.

Mr Nigam said the skins were recovered from a storeroom at the Zoo on May 3. Among the skins recovered were three of lions, four of tigers, white tigers (3), panthers (4), bears (4), crocodiles (5), nilgais (10), black bucks (32), among others. Two elephant tusks were also found from the storeroom.

As per the rules, the dead animals are buried in the presence of the forest officials after an autopsy. According to Section 39 of Wildlife Protection Act, the remains of the dead animals should be handed over to the forest department. However, the Zoo officials kept the skins and the tusks with themselves.

Till now, no arrest has been made in this regard, Mr Nigam said, adding that this was because as per rules, the report is first sent to the Central Zoo Authority and after securing its permission, further action is initiated.

Even though the zoo is owned by the AMC, its functioning is totally controlled by the Central Zoo Authority, he explained.

''Action will be taken against Dr Rizvi only after the Central Zoo Authority grants its permission. A detailed report in this regard was sent to the Authority yesterday,'' he said.

The incident came to light when the Forest Department and the AMC authorities swung into action after the news broke about the sudden death of 13 black bucks within last one-and-a-half month in the Zoo.

Of the total 51 black bucks in the Zoo, 13 had died and six are still in serious condition. However, cause of their death is yet to be ascertained, Mr Nigam said.

UNI