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PAWS dig in for animal care

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In celebration of World Wildlife Week that ends on October 8, members of Plants and Animals Welfare Society (PAWS) have written to the member secretary, Central Zoo Authority and the Ministry of Environment and Forest, protesting against the poor condition of animals and the upkeep of the Byculla zoo, which is under BMC's care.

"Every year, we witness a decline in the number of animals in the zoo due to improper care and habitat and under-nourishment. We urge you to make a surprise visits at the VJB zoo along with some members of animal welfare organisations," the letter read.

Sunish Kunju, founder of PAWS, said, "The zoo at present is not in a good condition. During our inspection, we found most of the enclosures empty and the ones where the animals were kept were too small with no natural habitat inside. The iron grills of the enclosures have rusted. There is a lack of proper maintenance."

He added that most of the staff is unqualified, uneducated, untrained and most enclosures do not have the name and description board.

"The water level is very less and is not cleaned regularly. Injured and sick animals have been kept for display," Kunju informed.

However, a senior zoo official informed that the zoo is undergoing Rs150 crore revamp. "There are certain lapses, but all that would change by next year, once the revamp is completed," the official said.

"As far as the reports of survival of animals are concerned, we do take good care of them. In the 1980s, when kangaroos were brought here, they couldn't adjust with the climatic conditions. Since then there has been no unnatural deaths in the zoo. The Humboldt penguins too will be able to adapt to the climatic conditions here," the official added.
 

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