Does Mumbai need a new zoo?

First it was Mumbai becoming Shanghai. Now, State officials are thinking of a new zoo in the city on the lines of the San Diego Zoo in the US. So maybe next year you can go on a night safari. Or if you love the company of birds, you can get married in the bird park, which will be made on the lines of the Jurong Bird Park in Singapore. The prospect does sound appealing, doesn't it? However, the city's environmentalists and animal rights activists certainly do not share the sentiment.

One school of thought holds a view that there should not be a zoo in the city. Daryl D'Monte, an environmentalist, says, " I really wonder if a zoo can survive in the atrocious conditions prevalent in Mumbai. It is so congested and polluted." His view is supported by Nilesh Bhanage, secretary and founder of PAWS (Progressive Animal Welfare Society). "Mumbai, or for that matter Maharashtra, does not require any zoos. The zoos that exist are not maintained as per the standards set by the government."

If the Central Zoo Authority gives the go-ahead to the new one, then PAWS plans on having a mass campaign, together with animal welfare organisations. Anuradha Sawhney from PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) says, " Why take an animal out of its natural habitat so that the people can see a caricature of it? What is shown in a zoo is not what actually happens in the wild."

If existing zoos cannot be done away with, these activists believe they can be maintained in a better fashion. Anuradha elaborates: "The size of the enclosures needs to be improved. The animals should be fed on time, especially nocturnal animals. Visitors should be strictly prohibited from teasing and harassing the animals."

Daryl, on the other hand, suggests utilising the money to maintain the Sanjay Gandhi National Park: " It is high time we realise the importance of the Natural Park we have. We should spread awareness among the people."

However, there is another school of thought that supports the idea of a second zoo albeit with some piece of advice. Dr Goldin Quadros, education officer, WWF (World Wildllife Fund) in Maharastra says that the earlier zoo at Byculla should be maintained as a botanical garden that can give way to a new modernized zoo.

JC Daniel, secretary of BHNS says, "Animals existing at Byculla could be shifted to the new zoo. The area allotted for the new zoo is spacious and can prove to be good for the animals."

They also pointed out that the government has allotted a good amount of money for the project, but it should be used in a more professional manner. The consultants and the care-takers should be well-trained so that the new venture does not end up in a flop show.
The two schools of thought may be saying different things, but their central idea is the proper care and protection of the animals. Therefore the onus lies on the government to take this into consideration, no matter how modern their plans may be.