Ever heard of a zoo without animals?

One of the oldest zoos in the country, Veermata Jijabai Udyan and Zoo, Byculla (Byculla zoo) is heading towards extinction. With the Mumbai Heritage Conservation committee (MHCC) hindering its revamp, the fate of the zoo is now hanging on a fast-thinning thread.

The delayed revamp plan of the zoo cum botanical garden has left its inhabitants languishing. Over the past ten years, not even a single species of animals or birds has been brought to the zoo.

This is despite the fact that 90% of the animals currently there are nearing life expectancy. More worrying is the fact that a majority of them have crossed their reproductive age.

Officials claim that if animals are not replenished immediately, the zoo will soon cease to exist. “A zoo cannot exist without animals. Byculla zoo has been one of the major tourist attractions in the city and is the oldest public institution in the country,” said an official on condition of anonymity.

It’s now been six years since the 150-year-old zoo has been awaiting a revamp. The draft for the revamp was first prepared by zoo authorities in 2005. After implementation of the changes recommended by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), the plan was submitted to the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) for approval in 2007. Since then the MHCC has rejected the plan five times. The bone of contention for the MHCC is the threat posed by the revamp to the heritage precinct area and botanical garden.

Meanwhile, the animals are aging and bordering their maximum life span. If they are not replenished soon, the existing species will soon wither away with no new animals to replace them, noted the official.

At present, the zoo has 18 species and 166 animals in the zoo. Alongside, there are 37 species of birds (420 in total) and seven species of reptiles (33 in total).

“The limited animals we are left with are also old, and there is an emergent need to have new and young ones if we wish to sustain the zoo. But our hands are tied because until we modify and upgrade the infrastructure, we cannot bring new animals,” said a zoo official.

But the MHCC is holding its ground. It recently dismissed another plan stating revised guidelines and demanded a new revised master plan for the revamp. “The zoo has heritage structures like the clock tower, the three arch entrance,  statues and a plant conservatory, along with rare species of trees. If the plan is passed in its current form, it will affect the green cover and heritage structures,” said a MHCC member.

Once the new plan is developed, it will be sent to the MHCC for approval. However, even if the zoo revamp starts immediately, it will take three years to reach completion. Taking into account the age of the animals, any further delay will translate to the city zoo facing extinction.