Use of wild animals banned in 21 circuses in Kolkata

The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has banned keeping and exhibiting wild animals in 21 circuses in Kolkata. This is attributed to ill treatment of the wild animals like elephants, rhinoceros. The environment ministry has given the mandate to CZA to look after wild animals kept in confinement and it includes circuses and zoos.
Many circuses usually have elephants, hippopotamuses and exotic birds like macaw, cockatoo, African grey parrots and all of these need clearance from the CZA. In 1999, tigers and leopards were banned from circuses.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 8 December 2016.

CZA had commissioned photo and video footage of animals kept in circuses which revealed that the conditions in which they were kept were far below the recommended standards. The CZA has, therefore, directed the chief wildlife wardens in all the states to rehabilitate elephants from the 21 circuses.
"Non-wild animals" like horses, camels and dogs have been exempted from the ban.


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Gorilla escapes from London Zoo - subsequently tranquilised and returned to its cage

An 18-year-old western lowland gorilla named Kumbuka escaped from the London Zoo and was eventually recaptured. In the opinion of the Born Free Foundation, this incident "could have ended very differently" and needs an inquiry.
The charity has said that the incident was a "startling reminder" of how dangerous wild animals could become when kept in captivity.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 14 October 2016.

The zoo was put in lockdown after the male gorilla escaped from its enclosure and had to be tranquilized by vets and returned to his den. The curator of mammals at the zoo has termed Kumbuka's escape as a "minor incident" and said visitors were "never in any danger". He has added that the incident is under investigation.
As revealed in the zoo's website, there are at least seven gorillas living in Gorilla Kingdom, which was opened in 2007 by the Duke of Edinburgh.
Incidentally, in May, a gorilla at Cincinnati Zoo in the US had to be shot dead by keepers after it grabbed a four-year-old boy who had fallen into a moat. It was a 17-year-old male western lowland gorilla and was killed after he dragged the youngster around for 10 minutes.


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Wild animal attacks killed 166 persons in India in last three years

In the last three years, a total of 166 Death of humans by attacks of wild animals have been reported. Out of these, as many as 133 were from attacks by elephants. A total of 24 deaths were reported due to attack by elephants and nine due to other animals from April 2015 to September 2015.
This information has been furnished by Comptroller and Auditor General of India report on Economic Sector for the year ended March 2015.
The report has mentioned that '... In recent years, unrestricted biotic influences in wildlife habitats had created disastrous consequences on human life due to attack by wild animals...'
This has been reported in thehindu.com dated 4 September 2016.

The CAG has also noted that the consolidated details of cases of human injury, damage to property and crops, death of livestock based on their occurrences were not maintained. However, the data is based on compensation payments made to victims, the details of loss of life and property which was available.
The report added that the remaining deaths were attributed to animals like tiger, leopard, wild boar, wild gaur etc - this loss during 2012-15 had increased from 5 to 15.


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140-year-old zoo in Buenos Aires to close down and be converted to an eco-park

Buenos Aires has taken a decision to close its 140-year-old zoo and convert it into an eco park because keeping wild animals in captivity and on display 'is degrading'. The mayor of the Argentine capital, Horacio Rodriguez Larreta, has indicated that the zoo will gradually relocate most of its 1,500 animals to sanctuaries at home and abroad. The reason is that they are not living in adequate conditions.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 25 June 2016.

The Mayor wants Argentina to follow the global trend of turning zoos into parks and sanctuaries. He believes that animals should live in their natural habitats. This situation of captivity is degrading for the animals and it is not the way to take care of them. The new eco park will provide a safe haven for animals rescued from illegal trafficking.
The mayor has termed it as a place where children can learn how to take care of and relate with the different species. The important thing is to value is the animals. The Buenos Aires zoo was inaugurated in 1875 in what used to be the outskirts of the Argentine capital. The zoo is now surrounded by the busy Palermo neighborhood and has been making a loss for years. It is expected to close soon so that work on the ecological park can begin.
Incidentally, four years ago, the last remaining polar bear at the zoo had died after overheating of its cage in soaring summer temperatures.


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