245 deaths in 14 months: Delhi zoo orders analysis

Single document detailing deaths to be prepared for more effective corrective measures

NEW DELHI, 11/01/2017: "Curtains on bird flu in the Capital" Visitors click pictures of a Hippopotamus at the Delhi Zoological Park which was re-opened after 84 days after several birds died due to bird flu, all other parks — Shakti Sthal near Rajghat, Hauz Khas Deer Park, District Park in Paschim Vihar and a waterbody in Madipur — that were also shut down to the Avian Influenza virus have been re-opened, in New Delhi. Photo: V.V. Krishnan

The National Zoological Park, better known as Delhi zoo, has undertaken an analysis into deaths of 245 animals over 14 months from April 2018 to June 2019.

“We were also surprised by the high number of deaths and the analysis was ordered to prepare a single document in tabular format to understand whether there are any particular reasons leading to the deaths,” a zoo official told The Hindu .

Currently, though post-mortems are done when animals die, they are maintained as different documents and there has been no proper cross-analysis.

“After preparing the document which will have details of each animal that died, its age and cause of death, we will analyse it and take corrective measures if needed,” the official said, adding that a similar report would be made every month from now on to make sure that there is no death due to negligence. The official said that the deaths were mainly due to old age and infighting among animals.

Multiple irregularities in the zoo, including false post-mortem reports of animals during the tenure of the previous zoo Director, were found in a 2016 report by D.N. Singh, then Member Secretary of Central Zoo Authority.

In June 2019, following a High Court order, the zoo had submitted an inventory report to the court after conducting a census of the animals. The court issued the order while hearing a petition by animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi on alleged “abnormal mortality rate” of animals in the Delhi zoo and “criminal conspiracy by the zoo officials”.

Though two tiger cubs born in the zoo died in August 2018, they were not part of the birth and death table in the inventory report submitted to the court.

“Three cubs were born in total. One was stillborn, another lived only for a day and the third died before even opening its eyes. Such births and deaths are noted in a separate register,” said a senior zoo official.

“It’s a scam. The census was ordered by the court and the separate register was not part of the submission made in the court. Now they (zoo authorities) claim that there is an additional register, but it’s simply not possible,” claimed Ms. Maulekhi.