A reply to an RTI query filed by an animal welfare officer has revealed that the Byculla Zoo currently has just two veterinarians to tend to its 471 animals, while 20 staff posts are lying vacant.
There are currently 143 mammals, 296 birds and 32 reptiles at the zoo. However, 9 animal keeper posts, 2 labour and 2 assistant head animal keeper posts are lying vacant among others, shows the reply to an RTI application filed by Sunish Kunju, animal welfare officer and founder of the Plant and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). Asked why, Dr Sanjay Tripathi, deputy superintendent of the zoo, said, "The procedure is taking time because the documents that need to be provided by candidates have not been submitted to us. We have to take reservations into consideration too, so that is mainly causing the delay. However, this process should be wrapped within a month's time."
Asked whether the shortage was affecting daily work, Dr Tripathi said, "Its not affecting work much because we don't have that many animals anymore. Many enclosures are empty. We used to have tigers, leopards and lions. Now there are no big cats, barring Jimmy, the hybrid lioness, who is in the hospital." He added that some vacant posts, like those of camel keeper and horse syce, were not required, since the zoo does not have these animals anymore.
The zoo staff, however, had a completely different story to tell. "Because of the lack of staff, one person does the job of three! In some enclosures, there is just one person to take care of the cleaning, feeding the animals, everything. We have to finish our own work, then go to other enclosures to do that work too. This has been the situation for the past 4 to 5 years," said a staffer who did not wish to be named.
"There is no longer any difference between an animal keeper, or a labourer or a maali (gardener). Everyone has to do all the work," said another staffer. "We don't even have proper equipment to clean. No rubber gloves, no gum boots, no safety equipment. We work with our bare hands," said another.
Other than Dr Tripathi, there is just one other doctor available, Dr Komal Raul, who used to work at the Deonar slaughterhouse before she came to the zoo, says the RTI reply. Asked whether she had the experience to treat wildlife, Dr Tripathi said, "She has been working at the zoo for the past 5 years, so yes."
