The
Government of India has banned performance in circuses of five
species of wild animals namely lion, Tigers, panthers, sloth bears
and Monkeys. Consequent upon this ban order, the Ministry of Environment
& Forests held an expert consultation for finding out ways to
enforce the order.
It was found that sloth bear, monkeys and panthers could be accommodated
in the existing zoos in the country. However since, circuses have
a large number of lions and tigers approximately, 360, housing
them in existing facility at Indian zoos has not been found to
be feasible. The Government if India, therefore decided to entrust
the responsibility of creating housing facility for these 360
lions and tigers to the Central Zoo Authority.
As per norms, facility for rescued animals should be created in
off display areas of a Zoo. Accordingly sites in the vicinity
of seven zoos located in six states of the country were identified.
The location of these rescue centres and the number of lions and
tigers proposed to be housed there are indicated below : |
| S.No. |
State |
Name
of the Zoo |
Lions |
Tigers |
Total |
| 1. |
Andhra
Pradesh |
Indira
Gandhi Zoo, Vishakapatnam |
40 |
20 |
60 |
| 2. |
Andhra
Pradesh |
Sri
Venkateswara zoo, Tirupathi |
20 |
10
|
30 |
| 3. |
Karnataka |
Bannerghata
Zoo |
70 |
30 |
100 |
| 4. |
Tamil nadu |
Arignar
Anna Zoo, Vandalur |
40 |
20
|
60 |
|
5. |
Rajasthan |
Nahargarh
Biological Park, Jaipur |
30 |
20 |
50 |
| 6. |
Orissa |
Nandankanan
Biological Park, Bhubneswar |
40 |
- |
40 |
| 7. |
Gujarat |
Ahmedabad
Zoo |
20 |
- |
20 |
| |
|
|
m |
Total
|
360 |
The
rescue centre indicated at Sl.No.1 to 5 are nearing completion.
Work at remaining two centres has not yet started. · On completion,
these rescue centres would provide a night shelter cum feeding chamber
for each of the 360 animals. To facilitate movement and to meet
the biological needs of these animal, stroll/ paddock area @ 250
sq.mtr with proper enrichment are also being provided. Facility
for 300 lions/tigers is likely to become functional by the middle
of current year. Efforts are on to get the work started for the
rescue facility for the balance number of animals. · Providing rescue
facility for poor hapless circus animals at the magnitude indicated
above has perhaps never been undertaken anywhere in world. (We stand
to correction!).
|
| The panoramic
view at the rescue center and the night house that is used to keep
the animals in the night . |
|
Rescue
center at the S V Zoo park
|
|
