Govt.-run zoo too has no licence

By G. Prabhakaran

PALAKKAD, DEC. 12: The Irrigation and Forest Departments under the State Government are running a Mini-Zoo and a Snake Park without licence from the Central Zoo Authority of India violating the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

The Mini-Zoo inside the Malampuzha Garden is a death trap for animals, in the absence of a proper upkeep. The animals are housed in congested cages spread over a small area of less than an acre.

Following public outcry and media reports about the torture of animals, when a large number of deer died two years back, the Central Zoo Authority of India, on the intervention of the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Mrs. Maneka Gandhi, ordered the closing down of the Mini-Zoo and the release of the animals in the forest. However, the Forest Department shifted only the deer to their newly set-up Deer Park at Walayar, leaving the rest of the animals in the Mini-Zoo.

The animals, including monkeys, cats and birds, are left unattended in the cages which are filled with plastic covers and other wastes. More than two dozen monkeys are kept in a small cage covered with iron nets. The cage has not been cleaned for the last two years. A large number of animals have died after contracting diseases due to overcrowding in the cages. If it is a hot and dry existence for them during the summer season, it is unbearably filthy and stinking during the rainy season.

The Mini-Zoo was set up along with the Malampuzha Gardens in the 1950s, when it had a small number of animals. Later, the numbers increased, but not the space.

The animals are seen drinking water from the same concrete enclave where they urinate too. Sometimes, food is also dropped in the same structure.

A member of the Animal Welfare Board of India, Mr. Kuruvila Eappen, who conducted an inquiry told The Hindu that ``a Marsh Crocodile in the zoo had died under suspicious circumstances. The authorities had not done a postmortem examination when he visited the zoo. But, later they fabricated one,'' he said.

Mr. Kuruvila said that the Mini-Zoo and the Snake Park at Malampuzha were run illegally as they had no licence from the Central Zoo Authority of India. They also run it violating the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

The Snake Park has a large collection of major and rare species of poisonous and non-poisonous snakes. Among them are King Cobra, Spectacled Cobra, Monocellate Cobra, Russell's Viper, Indian Python, Krait, Earth Boa, etc.

The Zoo Authority of India had asked the Mini-Zoo authorities to close it down and shift the animals to its natural habitat or to some other zoos. However, this is only half-done after nearly three years have lapsed. The Irrigation Department authorities running the Zoo said that they had requested the Forest Department to take out the remaining animals to be released in the forest. But there was no such action from the Forest Department.

While the Conservator of Forest (Wildlife), Palakkad, Mr. Mehar Singh, is still running a Snake Park at Malampuzha despite the order issued by the Zoo Authority of India, he is now taking the initiative to close down the Parassinikkadavu Snake Park at Kannur torturing its animals and killing some of them.

The Forest Department is also running a Snake Park at Malampuzha without any authority violating all rules regarding the running of a zoo.

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