Hippo death: PETA threatens to move HC

    
The death of a five-year-old hippopotamus at the Byculla zoo recently has agitated a key animal rights body which has threatened to move the Bombay High Court if the conditions in the cages did not improve.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said it is taking up the matter with the Central Zoo Authority, Delhi, asking the nodal body to explain why the High Court order for improving the conditions of animals in the zoo has not been implemented.

"We will send a letter to the Central Zoo Authority inquiring the reason behind the animal's death and also ask as to why the conditions in the zoo have not improved," said Anuradha Sawhney, chief functionary, PETA.

"We will await for a response from them. If they do not take the matter seriously then we will move the High Court," Sawhney warned.

The activists across the city are agitated over the condition of the zoo animals in the city and plan to protest against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

The civic body has chalked out a Rs-430 crore modernisation plan to improve the conditions in the zoo, official sources said.

The hippopotamus, Shakti, was found dead in the pool of the zoo at Byculla on April 24.

Human rights activist Fiza Shah alleged "Shakti died due to negligence. People who are responsible for this must be made answerable".

In 2005, PETA had filed a case against the Veer Jeejamata Zoo in south Mumbai's Byculla for its alleged failure to provide basic facilities to the caged inmates.

Following this, the Bombay High Court asked the civic body and the State Secretary of Forests to provide clean food and water to the animals and maintain hygienic conditions in the enclosure.

The order also said to relocate the aged and sick animals to rescue centres and to appoint a panel of experts on the housing, upkeep and behaviour of the animals.

"There has been no proper implementation of the High Court's order. It's four years and still there is no improvement," Sawhney claimed.

"The death of the hippo was an unfortunate incident. Earlier also a large number of blackbucks died at the zoo in 2006," said another animal rights activist Bittu Sahgal.

At that time, the High Court had sacked some officials and even issued some directives, but complacency appears to have crept in again, she said.

"The Byculla zoo has one of the finest specimens of trees in Asia and should be protected as a Botanical Park and Nature Interpretation Centre," Sahgal said. 

"The death of the hippo was an unfortunate incident. This is not the first time, earlier also a large number of blackbucks died at the zoo in 2006," said Animal rights activist Bittu Sahgal.

At that time, the High Court had sacked some officials and even issued some directives, but complacency appears to have crept in again, he said.

"The zoo at Byculla has the finest specimens of trees in Asia and should be protected as a Botanical Park and Nature Interpretation Centre," Sahgal said.