What Zoo Authority stipulates

Guidelines have been formulated, but the rules are not being followed strictly.

Animal enclosures
- Every animal in a zoo shall be provided shelter, conservation and healthcare that can ensure a standard of life to enable the zoo population sustain itself.
- The enclosures for all the species displayed or kept in a zoo shall be of such size that all animals get adequate space for free movement and exercise and no animal is unduly dominated or harassed by any other animal.
- Each animal enclosure in a zoo shall have appropriate shelters, perches, withdrawal areas, wallow pools, drinking water points and such other facilities which can provide the animals a chance to display the wide range of their natural behaviour as well as protect them from extremes of climate.

Upkeep of fauna
- Zoos shall provide diet to each species, which is similar to its feed in nature. 
- For the well being of the animals, round the clock supply of portable drinking water shall be made available to all animals kept in the zoo.
- With the objectives of avoiding human imprinting and domestication of animals. Zoos shall prevent physical handling of animals by the staff to the extent possible.
- Zoos shall not allow any animal to be provoked for tortured for the purpose of extracting any performance or tricks.

Facilities to visitors
- Zoo shall provide basic civic amenities to visitors like toilets, drinking water points, shelters and first-aid facilities. 
- Ramps shall also be provided for the benefit of visitors in wheel chairs for approach to animal enclosures and other civic amenities.
- Zoos shall not provide any infrastructure for recreation and entertainment of visitors that is inconsistent with the stated objective of a zoo.

Setting up of zoos
- Every zoo shall maintain a hygienic and natural environment, so that the visitors get an adequate opportunity to experience a natural environment.
- Every zoo shall endeavour to avoid keeping single animals of non-viable sex ratios of any species.

Taboos for visitors
Some zoos have been declared 'no polyethylene bag' zones. No visitor can bring a plastic bag with food material into the zoo. 
- This has been done to protect the animals, as plastic bags and leftover snacks, which are dumped on the lawns or inside animal enclosures, may be swallowed by the animals. 
- Do not feed the animals. Each animal needs a different type of diet. If they are fed with snacks like biscuits and wafers by the visitors, animals lose their appetite for the type of food they are meant to eat. 
- Animals may also get infected with human diseases when visitors give them food. 
- Do not tease the animals. Activities like imitating animal sounds, making faces, throwing things, running in front of the cage, waving sticks disturb and irritate animals. 
- Animals are introvert and sensitive and have their own routine. Some stay awake at night and sleep most of the day and if visitors disturb the animals just because they want to see the animals moving around, it disturbs their routine. 
- Bringing pets to zoos is also not allowed.