Saturday, July 2, 2005

Forget the lion king. It is dying slowly. Chhatbir zoo’s pride, the lion safari, has nothing better to show than emaciated animals. And, the zoo itself tells a story of neglect and corruption.
Gayatri Rajwade reports.

A look back at the crisis-ridden years of Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park or the Chhatbir zoo, as it is popularly known, seems symptomatic of the indifference plaguing India’s wildlife.

Spread over a 202-hectare reserve and housing close to 800 different species of animals, Chhatbir was once considered a fine example in the country of how zoological parks are to be run, but all this seems history now.

The ‘Lion Safari’ at Chhatbir, once a source of pride and joy, and the planned breeding programmes, particularly of the endangered Asiatic lion, has come under severe criticism. Today, the ‘safari’ hosts a mere 24 gaunt, wasted lions from nearly 100 in the year 2000.

The problem, perhaps, lies in the role played by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) under whose governance come all zoological parks in India. The CZA implements, among other programmes, planned breeding projects in zoos. In the words of the Member Secretary, B. R. Sharma, the role of the CZA is "more that of a facilitator than a regulator". According to Sharma, "We can only provide guidance. We are like the lifeboats on the Titanic."

The beleaguered Chhatbir zoo had a central role to play in the captive breeding of the existing hybrid lions. In fact, India’s entire captive royal cat population, in zoos all over the country, is facing the death sentence literally. Chhatbir zoo pioneered the programme that resulted in tainting the gene pool, exposing almost 100 hybrid lions to diseases their bodies were unable to fight.

A. S. Dogra, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden for the Chandigarh Administration, agrees the flawed union between an Asiatic lion and an African one resulted in the hybrid strain. But, he believes "the actual damage was caused by the inbreeding that weakened the gene pool considerably."

Chhatbir, in the late 1970s, had procured good Asiatic lions from Junagarh, their natural habitat. According to Dogra, "A travelling circus was hauled up by the courts and an African lion from the circus was assigned to Chhatbir for upkeep. In those days, the staff knew no better. The two species were kept in the same enclosure and this resulted in cross-breeding." The result: the Asiatic lion lost its hardier characteristics.

To prevent further inbreeding, vasectomies were performed on the lions in accordance with the directives issued by the CZA. The lions today are mangy and emaciated, suffering from mental and physical defects. Wildlife laws prohibit them from being put to sleep despite their obvious agony.

Dogra believes one can only wait for the animals to die. "We have had several talks for the procurement of the pure breeds and have faced enough flak for a mistake that was not deliberate. We will be very careful with the next lot of lions we get."

Sandeep Jain, President of the Ludhiana chapter of the People For Animals (PFA), who looks after Chandigarh, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, and is the Inspecting Authority, Animal Welfare Board, Ministry of Environment and Forests, recently conducted a survey on the condition of lions in Chhatbir. He believes, "The hybrid lions should not be displayed. This is against the norms laid down by the CZA, which says only pure-breds should be shown to the public. Also, the lions currently in the zoo are not physically up to their optimum strength. They should be left alone."

The zoo authorities seem aware of this moot point. Chhatbir Zoo Director Kuldip Kumar reveals a grant of Rs 18.54 lakh has been given by the CZA to create a special off-display enclosure for the old and sick lions. "Of the 24 currently on display, 10 lions will be removed to the special area which will be off-limits to the general public. They can roam about and stay there for the remaining part of their lives in peace," he adds.

Chhatbir has been mired in controversies and allegations of corruption and mismanagement, including severe neglect of its animal population, for a while now. With the birth of a new sarus crane chick a few days back, zoo officials are hopeful the breeding programmes and the zoo’s reputation will be restored.

The authorities admit to severe mismanagement in the past but Kumar says his conscience is clear. "In the two years that I have been here I have tried to improve the condition of the animals, keep the park running in a scientific manner and leave a legacy of clean governance for my successor."

According to B. R. Sharma, attempts are being made to clean up the management of zoos across the country. "The zoos are governed by 51 stringent norms and standards. In fact, a directive issued by the Supreme Court in November 2000 has stated that no new zoos must come up without the authority and approval of the CZA and the court. Since then, no new zoos have been commissioned."

Apart from providing technical and financial assistance to attain the desired standard in animal management, the CZA also regulates the exchange of animals in the endangered category listed under Schedule I and II of the Wildlife Protection Act. It also implements programmes on building zoo personnel and doing research on the conservation of species. All these are an integral part of zoo development the world over.

Despite a governing body, Chhatbir zoo has been facing incessant charges of corruption and neglect over the past six years. The problems came to light in 2000. Zoo Director Vinod Sharma, who had started out as the Veterinary Doctor to Chhatbir, in 1977 was appointed Acting Director in 1997. He allegedly "began misusing his authority" and held the post till 2002. His appointment created ripples in the bureaucracy. According to a Punjab and Haryana High Court order, an officer of the rank of Conservator of Forests in the IFS cadre alone could hold charge of Director (Zoo). Dr Sharma was only a veterinary doctor.

Between 2001 and 2002, many irregularities came to light: inflated tenders for the contract for supplying meat (to the tune of Rs 30 lakh), the scam over recycling and resale of admission tickets (amounting to a profit of Rs 10 lakh), financial mismanagement in allotting advertisement spaces and the death of animals under mysterious circumstances were in the news. Accusations that carcasses of carnivores were skinned and sold in the market were also made against Vinod Sharma. His arrest in March 2003 by the Vigilance Bureau was followed by a change of guard and a new zoo director was brought in.

However, the problems did not quite abate. In less than three months after his exit, a number of tigers and lions, animals under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, died. The year 2004 brought with it more deaths of animals, which Kumar insists are "normal mortality deaths" occurring in zoos. These included a rhinoceros that died of rabies, a swamp deer, Royal Bengal tigers, lions, a bonnet monkey and a sarus crane chick.

May 2005 saw yet another "scam" — that of supply of stale meat of dead animals, skinned in filthy conditions from the Kolagarh locality in Saharanpur. Kumar is, however, emphatic in his denial of such allegations. "According to the inquiry report, the slaughterhouse of the contractor is in the Kamelai area, which is approved by the Municipal Corporation (MC), and not Kolagarh, which is not certified by the MC." Both Dogra and Kumar believe this "rumour-mongering" is the outcome of infighting in the cartel of meat suppliers wanting to gain control over the supply of meat to the zoo.

Zoos in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh depend on meat supplied by the slaughterhouses in Saharanpur as there is a ban on killing cows and buffaloes in Punjab and Haryana. Almost 500 kilos of meat is supplied in a day. Kumar is hoping the government will allow the zoo to buy meat from a supplier in Dera Bassi where the price is higher than what is paid currently but the quality can be ensured.

Similarly, the absence of a hospital and the two mandatory veterinary doctors, as laid down under CZA norms, has also raised questions about the state of animal health and welfare. Both Dogra and Kumar admit there is only one vet on board. Dogra believes there is "substance to these issues". Kumar says repeated requests to the Animal Husbandry Department have not elicited a response yet. "However, we have a panel of three doctors outside the zoo who help us out whenever we need them".

Within the next six months a hospital facility with an operation theatre, X-ray machine and semi-automatic analyser for quick test results will be operational at Chhatbir. The zoo has got Rs 21.25 lakh from the CZA for developing a hospital facility. In addition, the CZA has also sanctioned Rs 15.75 lakh for an incinerator for dead animals and the safe disposal of waste.

Books for breeding, regular registrations involving veterinary doctors from outside the zoo for animals that die and a gradual reduction in the number of animals without indiscriminate inbreeding or procurement are all steps in the right direction. Kumar is clear about his goals. "We want to be able to nurture and then maintain what we have. Therefore, we are consciously working towards streamlining and bringing transparency into our working." Towards this, efforts have been made to deal with the grievances of the staff as well to facilitate better functioning of the zoo. He believes a major portion of his two years with Chhatbir have been spent battling the controversies and a divided employee union.

Sandeep Jain of the PFA, who visited the Chhatbir zoo in January this year, says, "There is a definite need for better management. Lack of trained staff and expertise that should be present in the wildlife department is sorely lacking. Shortage of finances is evident from the lack of machinery, equipment and basic medical facilities for the animals."

Kumar acknowledges there is a long way to go but he says his team is trying. "Give us a chance to prove these allegations wrong, give us time to rectify the mistakes and do not stand on judgment over what happened more than five years ago."

Jain believes, "The primary reason for the existence of zoos today is to fulfil an educational and scientific role in our society. Animals should not be kept in a confined atmosphere. Also, they should not be kept alone if they are not used to it."

Arpan Sharma of Samrakshan, a trust to promote and propagate the conservation of wildlife, forests and the environment, believes the very concept of a zoo is flawed. "Zoos claim to educate people, preserve species but they usually fall short on these counts. For one, zoos promote only the continuation of exotic animals like tigers and lions, which people do not get to see often. Natural mating and behaviour patterns are eliminated by regulated feeds and breeding regimes. These conditions often result in abnormal and self-destructive behaviours or "zoochosis". Animals breed best and are happiest in their natural environment and zoos are actually damaging to their morale. Let them be free for that is where they belong."

Whichever way one may look at it, zoos are the repository of exotic and common animals and are essential centres of research and breeding programmes besides educating people and they are definitely here to stay.

The Chhatbir zoo, which turned a not-so-venerable 28 years’ old this April, was inaugurated in 1977 as a dream project of Dr Mahendra Chaudhary, then Governor of Punjab. It is striving hard to achieve the same standing but the battle seems far from over yet.