Ex-Situ updates - Central Zoo Authority

FROM THE DESK OF THE
MEMBER SECRETARY
The current issue of Ex-Situ Updates primarily focuses on ex-situ conservation
of bears. As we know, the 21st International Conference on Bear Research and
Management is scheduled to be held at New Delhi from 26 to 30 November
2012. The conference is hosted by the Ministry of Environment & Forests,
Government of India, and the Central Zoo Authority is one of the partner
organizers, along with the Wildlife Institute of India and the Wildlife Trust of
India. The conference will bring together bear biologists from across the world.
One of the outcomes of the conference will be a long-term action plan for
the conservation of bears in situ as well as ex situ. This issue highlights the
status and strategy for ex-situ conservation of bears initiated by CZA and the
action taken to implement the ban on dancing bears and their rescue and
rehabilitation by the recognised facilities of the CZA. It also looks at the rescue
of bears and their rehabilitation into the wild.
From this issue onwards, the Central Zoo Authority seeks to focus on one Indian
zoo in each issue, including its past, present and future activities. In this issue,
the Marble Palace Zoo, Kolkata, established in 1854 (after the Barrackpore Zoo,
established in 1803 and not in existence now) has been focused on. This is one
of the oldest existing zoos in the country. Although the zoo has not been able to
develop at the same pace as other zoos in India, it has its own heritage value. It
is a living icon in zoo history, reminding us of how zoos began and how far we
have come. It is an appropriate example of the zoo movement in India.
Current updates on various actions and activities undertaken by the Central
Zoo Authority and through various committees and expert groups have also
been highlighted. Action is being taken to initiate closure of some of zoos
that have not been able to comply with standards despite having been given
ample opportunities to improve. A number of activities are being undertaken
by various zoos to meet the various targets of the UN Decade on Biodiversity.
I, along with other World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) members
of South and South-east Asian countries, participated in the knowledge café
on the UN Decade on Biodiversity organised under the banner of the WAZA, at
the IUCN World Conservation Congress from 4 to 19 September 2012, at Jeju,
Korea. It focused on implementation of Aichi targets 1 and 12 . My presentation
highlighted the present activities, and planning for cooperation in respect of
Aichi target 1, which reads, “by 2020, at the latest, people are aware of
the values of biodiversity and steps they can take to conserve and use
it sustainably”, and target 12 reads, “The extinction of known threatened
species has been prevented and their conservation status, particularly of
those most in decline, has been improved and sustained”.
(B.S Bonal)
NATIONAL ZOO POLICY
PREAMBLE
1.1 The growing awareness for
nature & wildlife conservation
has made zoos a popular
institution. Estimates indicate
that 10% of the world's
population visit zoos every year.
There are about 350 animal
collections in India, which are
visited by more than 50 million
people annually.
1.2 While there is a history of
scientific interest, conservation
and welfare of captive wild
animals in the country, many
zoos have evolved from
menageries and private
collections, and most zoos until
the last two decades were set
up mainly for entertainment and
recreation. As wildlife resources
were abundant in the past,
scientific knowledge about
the behavioural and biological
requirements of animals did
not receive adequate attention,
with the result that scientific
management of wild animals in
captivity has evolved slowly.
1.3 The need for making
conservation as one of the main
objectives of management
of zoos was realized by
Government of India soon
after independence and the
Indian Board of Wildlife made
important recommendations in
this regard. The Government
set up an Expert Committee
on Management of Zoos
in Noverber,1972 and its
recommendations were
accepted in June,1973. The
recommendations are relevant
even now for improving the
management of Zoos. The
National Wildlife Action Plan of
1983 again emphasized the role
of ex-situ conservation in national
conservation efforts. However,
because of varied ownership
patterns and divergent nature
of animal collections not much
was achieved.
(contd on Page 17)
1

Himalayan Black Bear was seen in a
number of zoos in different regions and
was recorded breeding. It appears to
be highly adaptable as it was observed
breeding in tropical areas although the
species is found in the wild in temperate
regions. All four species were recorded
breeding, but the breeding success
is low with the Malayan Sun Bear
(Helarctos malayanus), which is being
kept only in two zoos. This species
has a very restricted distribution in the
country and is found only in North-east
India
The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) is
a statutary body of the Ministry of
Environment & Forests, Government
of India. It was established in 1992
to oversee the functioning of zoos in
India and provide technical assistance.
There are 70 zoos and 5 rescue
centres housing a total of 795 bears
(as of 31st March, 2012) in captivity for
the purpose of conservation, education
to the public and for their lifetime care.
STEPS TAKEN AND FUTURE
PLANS
1. Ensuring improvement of animal
housing, Display of animals and
animal enclosures as per the
prescribed norms.
Most of the bear enclosures in Indian
zoos were built during the period when
the Central Zoo Authority was not in
existence, and hence the zoos did
not follow the same pattern. Being the
nodal agency for preparing norms for
better upkeep and veterinary care in
zoos and for regulating the functioning
of zoos, the CZA has reformulated its
rules and norms, and zoos are being
asked to adhere to them strictly. Now
no zoo can build any new enclosures
for bear species too without obtaining
the prior approval of the Central Zoo
Authority. There would be preference
for zoos if bear species are exchanged
for the purpose of scientific breeding
and to infuse new blood in the existing
population.
2. Ensuring upkeep and healthcare
of animals
Although the CZA has reformulated its
rules and guidelines for better upkeep
and veterinary care of animals and
circulated these to zoos for guidance
and implementation, it also signed
a memorandum of understanding
with the Indian Veterinary Research
Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, on 20 August
2007 identifying National Referral
Centre to provide specialised services
and facilities of the IVRI to recognised
zoos/rescue centres of the country
pertaining to diagnosis and therapeutic
measures for infectious and noninfectious
diseases and healthcare of
wild animals as and when required by
the recognized zoos/rescue centres
and the Central Zoo Authority.
3. Ensuring maintenance of records,
studbooks, and preparation of
inventory
For better record keeping and breeding,
the CZA has signed a memorandum
of understanding with International
Species Information System (ISIS)
for providing its services to zoos. The
Central Zoo Authority has assigned to
Wildlife SOS for five years (beginning
on 31 March 2011) the responsibility
of preparing and updating studbooks
of all four bear species found in Indian
zoos for the purpose of conservation
breeding . Wildlife SOS will be
publishing interpretative studbooks
of all the species annually and will
provide hard copies to each zoo where
bears are housed.
4. Ensuring Conservation Research
The Central Zoo Authority is
encouraging zoos to conduct research
and studies on the behaviour and
husbandry of animals so that zoos
can have better guidelines for the
upkeep and breeding of animals.
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological
Park, Darjeeling, was granted financial
assistance to conduct a study on “the
behaviour ecology of Asiatic Black
Bear in captivity for the purpose of
conservation breeding”.
In November 2011, the Central Zoo
Authority assigned Wildlife SOS to
undertake a two year study of the
enclosure utilisation pattern of Sloth
Bears and the enrichment utilisation in
non-conventional captivity at the Agra
Bear Rescue Facility.
The Central Zoo Authority assigned a
five year study to Wildlife Institute of
India, Dehradun, on 21 July 2009 with
the following objectives:
(i) Conducting a study on the aforesaid
species at the zoos selected as
coordinating, participating for the
species and other major zoos
holding animals in captivity.
(ii) Conducting literature survey for
selected species pertaining to their
housing and enclosure enrichment.
The relevant literature must be
compiled, and hard copies should
be made available to the CZA for
distribution to zoos.
(iii) Evaluation of the available housing
and enrichment practices for the
aforesaid species in India and
abroad for their effectiveness
and ensuring that the suggested
enrichment does not endanger the
lives of animals.
(iv) Preparation of a critical note for
each species, providing detailed
notes on appropriate housing
(including the desired dimensions),
habits and behaviour (including
social, feeding, reproductive and
other requirements in the wild and
how the same should be met in
captivity by suggesting appropriate
methods including species of
plant, tree, and shrub required
to be planted by zoos, details
of enrichment artefacts, water
bodies, substrates, wooden logs
and other off-exhibit (for feeding
and retiring cells), keeping in view
the physiological, psychological
and behavioural requirements and
welfare of the animals.
Brown Bear at Kufri Zoo
3
Photo Credit: Dr Brij Kishor Gupta

5. Conservation breeding
The CZA has initiated a conservation
breeding programme for the Brown
Bear and Malayan Sun Bear at
Himalayan Nature Park, Kufri, and
Aizawl Zoo, respectively, and the zoos
are being asked to develop off-display
conservation breeding centres, for
which the Central Zoo Authority will
provide 100% financial assistance.
6. Capacity building
The Central Zoo Authority has
entrusted to the IVRI with standardizing
the diets of animals in captivity, including
bears. The Central Zoo Authority is
also organizing training programmes
and workshops for all personnel of
zoos (irectors, curators, biologists,
educators, veterinarians and keepers)
to enhance their efficiency and skills
in zoo management. One zoo director
and veterinarian are being deputed
every year to attend the Endangered
Species Recovery Course, conducted
by Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust,
Jersey, UK. Now a similar programme
is being organised in India as well,
with invited faculty members of Durrell
Conservation Academy. The Central
Zoo Authority hopes that its efforts will
raisethestatusofupkeepandveterinary
care of bear species in captivity, which
will ultimately be helpful in successful
breeding and conservation of bear
species in India.
A keeper at Sepahijala Zoo
4
Photo Credit: Dr Brij Kishor Gupta
Himalayan Black Bears at Assam State Zoo, Guwahati
7. Memorandum of understanding
between the Leipzig Zoo (LZ) and
the Central Zoo Authority (CZA):
The Chairperson, Central Zoo
Authority, has approved a proposed
memorandum of understanding to
be signed between Leipzig Zoo (LZ),
Germany, and the Central Zoo Authority
(CZA) to cooperate to improve, develop
and implement future strategies for:
(i) capacity building/exchange of
manpower
(ii) sharing of management practices
(iii) scientific animal exchanges
(iv) convening a training programme
for zoo supervisors in India to
be conducted by the experts of
Leipzig Zoo, Leipzig
(v) designing exhibits
(vi) conducting research and
conservation breeding
programmes
The MoU identifies the following zoos
for exchange of scientific information
and exchange of Sloth Bears and
other species:
(i) National Zoological Park, New
Delhi (Delhi)
(ii) Sri Chamarajendra Zoological
Gardens, Mysore (Karnataka)
(iii) Nehru Zoological Park,
Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh)
(iv) Arignar Anna Zoological Park,
Vandalur, Chennai (Tamil Nadu)
(v) Assam State Zoo, Guwahati
(Assam)
(vi) Nandankanan Zoological Park,
Bhubaneswar (Odisha)
Malayan Sun Bear at Mizoram Zoo
Photo Credit: Himanshu Malhotraa
The authors are Member Secretary and
Evaluation & Monitoring Officer at the CZA.
Photo Credit: Himanshu Malhotra

Sloth Bear in power fenced enclosures at Agra Bear Rescue Centre facility
dancing bears, followed suit, creating
the Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre
at the Bannerghatta Biological Park.
The Van Vihar Bear Rescue Centre
was created at Bhopal, and finally the
Purulia Bear Rescue Centre was set
up in West Bengal. These four Sloth
Bear rescue and rehabilitation centers
in India are run by Wildlife SOS in
collaboration with the respective state
governments. Wildlife SOS received
unremitting support and care from
each state’s forest department. These
centres were safe havens for the
bears, which had been ill-treated by
the Kalandars and had experienced
brutality at their hands.
Through an intensive process of
engaging with the Kalandar community
and staying with them in over 70
villages, a relationship of trust was built
up between them and the founders
of Wildlife SOS, and the Kalandars
agreed to voluntarily hand over their
bears to the forest department. Wildlife
SOS was able to offer them seed funds
to establish alternate livelihoods that
would improve their quality of life and
prevent them from exploiting wildlife.
This rehabilitation of the community
was a complex social challenge as the
Kalandar tribe had indulged in bear
dancing for generations and lacked
the confidence that they could earn a
livelihood successfully through other
means. However it was imperative
that the community be encouraged to
move away from this illegal practice
as it had only given them poverty, a
6
Photo Credit: Dr Brij Kshor Gupta
lack of healthcare, a high incidence of
endemic diseases such as tuberculosis
and hepatitis, illiteracy caused by a lack
of education, a lack of family planning,
and a lack of proper housing. Wildlife
SOS worked hard at rehabilitating the
Kalandars along with the bears.
The Wildlife SOS Kalandar
Rehabilitation Project was started
with cooperation and support from
state forest departments and enabled
the Kalandars to learn new skills and
start alternative livelihoods with seed
funds and training provided by Wildlife
SOS after they had surrendered their
Sloth Bears voluntarily. The Kalandars
received training in driving, carpet
weaving, welding, grinding and
packaging spices, sewing and jewellery
making. Cutting and polishing gems,
setting up tea shops and vending
vegetables, clothes and plastic goods
were just some of the professions
chosen by them.
Today, more than 3000 Kalandar
families have benefited from this
programme. Empowerment of
the Kalandar women through this
programme, making them secondincome
earners in a way, changed their
position in the Kalandar household,
giving them dignity and a larger say in
family matters. Widows and abandoned
women had some skills and incomes
to fall back on, as Wildlife SOS microfunded
small ventures chosen by them
such a selling plastic goods, bangles
and cosmetics, rearing poultry and
stitching chappals, embroidering
wedding sarees and cutting leather
for cricket balls. The programme also
ensured that all Kalandar children were
educated by sponsoring their school
fees, uniforms, shoes and satchels so
that the children would find it easier
to integrate with society. We can say
with pride that some of those children
are in college and pursuing computer
courses, higher college studies in
arts and even engineering in several
states, and girl children are now being
permitted to join schools.
The forest departments and Wildlife
SOS asked hundreds of Kalandars,
when they surrendered their bears or
when their bears were seized, about
how they had procured their Sloth Bear
cubs. There existed a supply chain
with poachers, familiar with jungle
ways and Sloth Bear behaviour, at
one end. There were middlemen who
would carry the cubs to underground
markets and sell them to the Kalandars.
Through this invaluable information, the
police department, forest departments
and Wildlife SOS began tracking
underground routes, animal markets
and the poachers themselves, those
who stole the cubs from their mothers,
often killing the mother bears, who had
been selling them to the Kalandars
for decades. Some of the biggest
bear traders in India in Karnataka,
Jharkhand and Odisha had worked
with impunity, evading the law. Wildlife
SOS established the anti-poaching
Sloth Bear rescued from Kalandars in a
transport cage
Photo Credit: Dr Brij Kishor Gupta

unit called Forestwatch, which works
in tandem with police and forest
departments in several states across
India. Over the last few years, this unit
has facilitated the rescue and seizure
of over 70 bear cubs from poachers.
Very often, intelligence gathered by the
Wildlife SOS anti-poaching unit also
results in the uncovering of an illegal
trade in marine animals, birds, reptiles,
smaller wildlife, Tigers, Leopards, etc.
The Sloth Bear rescue centres function
as lifetime care facilities for Sloth
Bears. They also function as training,
education and awareness platforms
where training programmes and
talks are organsed for enforcement
officers and school- and collegegoing
students. Premier institutions
such as the WII, IGNFA and FRI bring
their trainees on field visits. Veterinary
students from all over the world
come to study veterinary procedures
and management techniques at the
centres.
The Central Zoo Authority has assigned
to Wildlife SOS for five years (beginning
31 March 2011) the responsibility of
preparing and updating studbooks for
all four bear species found in Indian
zoos for the purpose of conservation
breeding. Wildlife SOS will be
publishing interpretative studbooks
of all the species annually and will
provide hard copies to each zoo where
bears are housed.
The Central Zoo Authority also
assigned, in November 2011, to
Wildlife SOS a two year study of the
enclosure utilisation pattern of Sloth
Bears and enrichment utilisation in
nonconventional captivity at the Agra
Bear Rescue Facility.
Thus this collaboration between the
NGO Wildlife SOS, the Government
of India and state governments, which
started off to implement the law to
control wildlife crime and conserve
Sloth Bears, has now become an ideal
model for successful conservation and
ended the brutal practice of “dancing
bears”.
The authors are founders of Wildlife SOS, New
Delhi
ZOO GETS VEHICLE TO
RESCUE WILDLIFE
Jaipur Zoo has recently acquired
wildlife rescue vehicles that have
been dedicated for public service.
Two rescue vehicles have been
customized to meet the requirements
of rescuing wild animals. These
vehicles are unique and have been
built for the first time in Rajasthan.
The vehicles have been equipped
with life-saving drugs and essential
medicines for rescue purposes. The
vehicles are air conditioned and
are fitted with a hydraulic system,
ZOO NEWS
a chain pulley cable system(
to rescue wildlife from wells), a
tranquilising gun, a Dragon light
(up to 1 km range) cages, helmets,
nets, etc. The total cost of the
vehicles including customization is
approximately rupees 40 lakhs. One
vehicle will cater to the Jaipur region
and another to the Jodhpur region.
The vehicles were dedicated for
public service by the Hon’ble Forest
Minister, Government of Rajasthan,
Ms. Beena Kak, in July 2012.
“VAN MAHOTSAVA” AT TATA STEEL ZOOLOGICAL PARK,
JAMSHEDPUR
Implementation of Aichi Target – UN Decade of Biodiversity
Tata Steel Zoological Park celebrated
“Van Mohotsava” as part of its
ongoing educational activities in the
zoo campus during July–August
2012 so that visitors to the zoo
were made aware of the benefits of
such a programme. The focus of
the programme was on women and
child because together they form the
centre of our society. This year, Van
Mahotsav was kick started by the
First Lady of Tata Steel, Mrs. Surekha
Nerurkar. She was instrumental in
planting of 15 saplings of medicinal
plants inside the zoo campus. During
the Van Mahotsava celebrations,
a total of 57 saplings were planted
inside the zoo campus, and this took
place in collaboration with Lions
Club Steel City, Marwari Mahila
Samaj and Little Wonder School.
During the celebrations, the zoo
also celebrated Friendship Day by
adopting the theme of befriending
trees. A total of 142 children took an
oath to protect trees.
7

CBRC, Veterinarians treating a Himalayan Black Bear
of 3–4 months. After this they move to a
diet of fruits, twigs, tubers and foliage,
which they forage themselves. This is
supplemented with a concentrate till
they are 14–16 months old.
The process of rehabilitation of the
bears at the centre has evolved since
its establishment. In the initial years,
with no previous guidelines on bear
rehabilitation in India, a hard-release
option was followed, in which the cubs
between the ages of 2 and 3 years
were directly released in an identified
site after 6–8 months’ acclimatisation
inside the open orientation yard.
In 2006, an alternate soft-release
method was found to be more
favourable. This method, now called
the assisted release method, has been
applied by Dr Gabriella Fredriksson, to
rehabilitation of Sun Bears in Borneo.
This produced a dramatic improvement
in rehabilitation success
Following stabilisation at the centre,
as the cubs are weaned off milk, they
are relocated into a forest rehabilitation
site for an “assisted release”. They are
taken for daily walks into the forest
by an animal keeper. For six to eight
months, these walks provide the cubs
with opportunities to instinctively
familiarise themselves with their natural
habitat. The cubs identify their natural
food and hone other skills necessary
for independent survival in the wild. At
night, the cubs remain at the camp site,
where they are provided with a feed of
concentrate to supplement their dietary
requirements.
As the cubs mature, they become
increasingly independent of their
keepers, hesitating to follow them back
to the camp site from their walks. When
the rehabilitators are confident of the
independent survival of the bears in
the wild, the cubs are radio-collared in
Experts examining a Himalyan Black Bear
Photo credit:Sashanaka Barbarauh WTI
anticipation of their release. Eventually,
the cubs move off on their own to fend
for themselves. They are remotely
monitored till the radio-collars drop off
automatically and the cubs’ ability to
survive in the wild is also established.
This change of protocol brought
an important change in bear cub
admissions at the centre – the age at
which the bear cubs are brought to
the centre now plays an important role
in their rehabilitation prospects. Cubs
above the age of six months are not
preferred as they cannot be handled
and taken for walks during the assisted
release.
The four older bear cubs already
present at the centre at the time of of
the change in protocol were moved to
a CZA-approved lifetime care facility.
These non-releasable bears under
lifetime care are housed in the CBRC
animal care facility and are on a diet of
concentrate, fruits and foliage collected
from the forests, in addition to seasonal
fruits.
Till date the centre has released more
than 20 Asiatic Black Bear cubs in the
wild. Even as we write, two batches
of bear cubs comprising four and
three individuals are undergoing insitu
acclimatisation at Mehao Wildlife
Photo credit: Sashanka Barbarauh WTI
9

Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh and in
the Greater Manas area of Assam.
The establishment and the success
of the CBRC would not have been
possible without the generous support
of many individuals and institutions.
The institutions include the British High
Commission, Central Zoo Authority
and Animal Welfare Department
– Government of India, and the
individuals include Chukhu Loma, Abo,
Tana Tapi, Nani Sha, Maneka Gandhi
and Himanshu Malhotra.
CBRC
The article is by the Wildlife Trust of India, Noida
10
Photo credit:Himanshu Malhotra
CZA NEW
PUBLICATION
Guidelines on
Minimuim Dimensions
of Enclosures for
Housing Exotic
Animals of Different
Species
Copies of this publication has been
sent to all Zoos. For copies write to
Central Zoo Authority.
Photo credit:Himanshu Malhotra
ZOO NEWS
INTERNATIONAL VULTURE DAY
CELEBRATED
International Vulture Awareness
Day was celebrated on 1
September 2012 at the National
Zoological Park, Delhi. A group of
42 students from Progress Public
School, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi,
attended the programme. They
were exposed to lectures and
films on vulture conservation and
the importance of vultures in our
ecosystem.
WORLD ECO TOURISM DAY
The National Zoological Park,
Delhi, celebrated World Eco
Tourism Day on 27 September
2012. Since 1980, the United
Nations World Tourism Organization
has celebrated World Tourism Day
on 27 September. The purpose
of this day is to raise awareness
about the role of tourism within the
international community and to
demonstrate how it affects social,
cultural, political and economic
values worldwide.
Photo credit: vibhu Prakash
DARJEELING ZOO HAS TWO
NEW INMATES
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan
Zoological Park has two new
inmates. The Snow Leopard Ritu
and the Red Panda Samridhi have
given birth to cubs. Both species are
highly endangered, and Darjeeling
Zoo is one of the few zoos that have
been able to breed these species
successfully. The entire birth
process was monitored through
CCTV cameras. The cameras are
being used to monitor the post-birth
care also.
CCTV image of Red Panda with young ones
CCTV image of Snow Leopard with cubs

They also imported and exhibited
marmosets, including the Golden
Marmoset, Spider Monkey, Woolly
Monkey and others. Mostly they
kept only herbivorous animals –
no carnivores, a principle that was
maintained for the most part. Unlike
most people of wealth and leisure
of those days, the Mullicks were not
shikaris. They never hunted animals
for food or trophy but trapped for their
collection and engaged trappers to
do so. Purnendro used to accompany
them when he was young, learning
much about wildlife from these men.
Purnendro used to tame Red-vented
Bulbuls when he was a youngster. He
would tie a supple but strong thread
around the body of the birds and keep
them, leaving off feeding them for a
day or two. Then he and his friends
would put two hungry birds together
with food in front of them so that they
would fight. He also had a trained hawk
whose eyes he covered with a hood;
when unhooded, the hawk would go
after pigeons.
During his childhood, Purnendro’s
father knew the Superintendent
of Calcutta Zoo, Mr. R. B. Sanyal.
Purnendro used to go with his father
to the New Market Bird Shop or to
the zoo, where they often ran into
Sanyal. Purnendro remembered two
incidences when his father corrected
Sanyal. Sanyal had put a heavy chain
on a cockatoo, and Mr. Mullick told
him that he should take it off and put
a lighter chain on to avoid injury to the
bird. Another time, Sanyal was feeding
a deer small pieces of vegetables that
he cut off with a knife. Mr. Mullick told
him that he shouldn’t feed like that as
he might inadvertently hurt the deer.
Before the implementation of the
Wildlife Protection Act, one could
catch and keep any animal, regardless
of its rarity, and so it was of interest to
know what rare animals were kept at
the zoo and aviary. Purnendro recalled
many animals, such as the Spectacled
Monkey from Tripura, a half dozen
Hoolock Gibbons, one of which had
been trained to do namaskara, and
others. He found that the Himalayan
species did not do well in Calcutta and
so stopped acquiring and keeping
12
Photo credit: : Sally Walker
them, but at one point they did get Musk
Deer, Serow and Goral. Conversely,
pheasants did very well at the zoo,
and they kept Satyr Tragopan, Monal
Pheasant and Bhutan Grey Peacock-
Pheasant.
Mullick had a pair of Pygmy Hogs
but lost one of them very soon due to
their delicate nature. He also kept two
pairs of Hispid Hares for some time, 18
months or two years, and they even
bred a few times, but the babies did
not survive. Purnendro’s wife liked to
keep Lesser Pandas in the house. He
also kept a Binturong that was very
sturdy and easy to manage. At one
time or the other they had nearly all
the species of bear, Himalayan Bear,
Brown Bear and Sun Bear. They also
had Golden Langur, Nilgiri Langur,
Lion-tailed Monkey and Slow Loris.
Punendro related some information
about the upkeep of some of the rare
animals at the Marble Palace Zoo. “For
Slow Loris”, he said, “one must give
it some good protein as well as fruits
and vegetable matter. Daily chicken
pieces are suitable but only soft, boney
pieces, like the back or the wing. Once
a week the Slow Loris should have a
small live sparrow, or munia bird. They
need a semi-dark and private place for
their living quarters as they are very
shy. Slow Loris also should have plenty
of branches close together so they can
reach from branch to branch since they
can’t jump.
“Hispid Hare is a delicate animal”, he
said. “We fed the usual things, e.g.,
green grass soaked gram, a little
milk bread, and vegetable skins. For
living quarters they must have privacy.
We constructed a very long cage for
them so they could get far away from
visitors and in addition to that we fixed
a partition of bamboo screen. They
require sand for digging also”.
“Red Panda is very delicate. They have
a delicate stomach. We gave cornflakes
and milk, adding a little Complan or
Farex”, he said. “They also need some
fruits and dried dates (which they
relish), sugar cane, papaya, banana
and all-important bamboo leaves
twice a day. The bamboo leaves help
clean their digestive system. For Red
Pandas, or any animal whose natural
habitat is a cold climate, one must be
very careful when taking it into captivity
as it cannot bear the cold when captive.
People think because it comes from a
cold place that the cold season will not
bother it, but in the wild, the animals
move about from place to place and
keep warm with exercise. In captivity
they can’t heat their body by exercise
so there has to be some source of
warmth for them”.
Purnendro described some of the
methods local trappers used for
capturing these wild animals. It seems
they used to keep seven bamboo poles
or sticks, each one fitting into another
one so that if all seven were used a very
long pole could be made. At the end of
the pole was a piece of split bamboo in
a “V” shape. There were different sizes
of these for different sizes of birds.
What the trappers would do was to
put gum on the inside of the “V” and
put the pole up a tree and catch the
bird inside the “V”. The idea was not to
actually hold the bird with the tool but
to deposit enough gum on his wings
so that he could not fly properly.
“It is an art because if you put too
much gum, the bird is too heavy to fly
and it will fall like a stone. If you put too
little, the bird will just fly away. If you
put the right amount the bird will glide
down like [a] parachute. It takes great
skill to know just how many sticks
to put together for the distance and
how to reach up with the pole without

Photo credit: : Sally Walker
alerting the bird. Nonetheless it is a
good method and the gum is a natural
substance and can be taken off without
harming the bird. The gum was taken
from the sap of the Banyan or Peepul
tree that had to be boiled for days until
it was the right consistency. Another
method for catching birds was to use
a net on the end of pole”.
The trappers also had a net method
for capturing monkeys. They would
tie a monkey in the middle of a big net
that was spread out in the bushes or
on the ground. Then they would put
some fruits all around and give some
to the monkey tied there. Soon many
monkeys would come, and when the
net was full the trappers would pull it
tight like a drawstring bag and catch
the monkeys. In the mountain areas,
trappers caught game birds using a
long thread with a sort of noose about
every six inches. They would spread
some seeds around, and when a bird
came to eat the seeds he would usually
step into one of these nooses and the
trapper could pull it tight and catch the
bird.
What they used for small cats was
an iron trap like a mouse trap, which
would catch the leg. The trappers
stayed close by and watched carefully.
Immediately on hearing the sound of
the trap they would throw a gunny bag
over the animal, release the foot and
shift the animal to a bamboo cage. It is
only if you leave the animal to struggle
that injury occurs using such traps.
Also, if the tail gets caught inadvertently
instead of the foot, then the animal
gets injured. “Trapping does not cause
many deaths”, he said. Later, while
keeping the animals, there are deaths,
but not while trapping.
I asked Mullick if many wild animals
were being trapped and exported live
from Calcutta before the passage of
the Wildlife Act. “Yes, many,” he said.
“There was dealer named George
Monroe who exported many elephants,
possibly 100 elephants per year from
Calcutta port alone up to 1972, when
the Act was passed. Also other animals
as well, e.g., small cats, pandas,
pheasants, etc. were trapped in large
numbers for export as well as for their
skins”.
On my comment that the Black-necked
Storks looked very shiny and healthy,
he said, “That is because we feed them
live or very fresh fish. Most of the other
zoos feed stale fish or even meat, but
for them to thrive they must have live or
very fresh fish”.
I asked about the Rosy Pelicans
wandering freely about the grounds. “It
seems a certain female laid her eggs
in all kinds of places, including in the
bushes beside a fence right on the
busy road”, he said. “I had to put up
metal sheets so no one could reach in
and disturb the eggs. While the eggs
were there, she hardly left even for a
second. When the female had to be
away, the male stood sentinel just like
the changing of the guard. When these
pelican chicks hatch, they are just skincoloured,
with no down or feathers. In
a few days they get soft feathers that
are completely black. They don’t start
to turn colour for several months, until
they are a year old and become white.
They don’t become a full rosy colour
Photo credit: : B.S.Bonal
until they are two years of age. Reuben
David visited my zoo and was so very
happy to see my pelicans. He said
only about a half dozen places were
breeding this species of pelican”.
“What other famous people have
visited your zoo that you could tell us
about?”, I asked. “Yes, one will interest
you – that’s Gerald Durrell. He visited
here some time in the sixties. A dealer
named Demmer brought him, and I
helped them to obtain Gaur. I gave him
one of those terracotta baby Gorillas
like you saw on the table outside”.
One has to appreciate the work of the
Mullick family and their love of wildlife.
The Marble Palace Zoo was nurtured
by persons who admired and cared
deeply about the dramatic and beautiful
interesting creatures from India and
around the globe. Much thought
went into the keeping and display, as
is obvious from Purnendro Mullick’s
descriptions. The Marble Palace Zoo is
a living icon in zoo history, reminding
us of how zoos began and how far
we have come. Its value as a viable
animal facility in the present context
may not be much, but the zoo is an
excellent medium for explaining the
origin and development of zoos and
natural history in Calcutta, India and
the world.
Some years ago the Central Zoo
Authority had decided to refuse
recognition to the Marble Palace
Zoo, which distressed me very much,
although I could not argue that it was
up to standard. It definitely wasn’t. In
earlier articles and book chapters that
I had written about the zoos of India,
I had reported that the Marble Palace
Zoo was refused recognition by the
CZA, and so it pleases me a great deal
to be able to report that the case is
now in abeyance. The current Member
Secretary has visited the zoo and seen
the potential of its heritage value and
encouraged the Mullicks to prepare a
master plan and bring the zoo up to a
standard that could be approved for
recognition.
The author is the Founder/Director of Zoo
Outreach Organisation, Coimbatore
13

CZA NEWS
EXTENSION OF RECOGNITION
OF ZOOS AND RESCUE
CENTRES BY CZA
1. The Centre for Bear
Rehabilitation and Conservation,
Pakke, Arunachal Pradesh
(rescue centre) has been
granted conditional renewal of
recognition for the period till 31st
July 2013.
2. Kinnerasani Deer Park, has been
granted conditional renewal of
recognition for the period upto
31 August 2015.
3. KNPS, Indore, Madhya Pradesh
has been granted conditional
renewal of recognition for the
period upto 31 August 2016.
4. Mini Zoo, Kodanad which is to
be shifted to a new location at
Kaprikad has recognition valid
till 30th April 2013.
The Central Zoo Authority organizes
a workshop every alternate year
for zoo veterinarians. This year a
workshop for zoo veterinarians
on “restraint of zoo animals &
their transport” was organised
at Guwahati in collaboration with
the College of Veterinary Science,
Assam Agricultural University
(AAU), Khanapara, Guwahati, and
the Assam State Zoo cum Botanical
Garden, Guwahati, from 24 to 28
September 2012. The workshop was
inaugurated by Dr. K. M. Bujarbarua,
Vice Chancellor of AAU, Mr. S.
Chand, Principal Chief Conservator
14
RECOGNITION CANCELLED
The Central Zoo Authority has
cancelled the recognition of Kaiwara
Tapovana Zoo, Kolar, Karnataka
under Section 38H Sub section 6 of
Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
ZOO VETERINARIANS
TRAINED IN RESTRAINT
TECHNIQUES
Zoo Veterinarain Workshop
of Forests (Wildlife), Government of
Assam, and Dr. Amresh Kumar, noted
surgeon and animal anaesthetist.
The organizing secretary for the
workshop was Dr. K. K. Sarma, Prof.
& Head, Department of Surgery &
Radiology, CVSc, Guwahati.
The workshop was attended by 32
veterinarians from various Indian
zoos and two lady veterinary
officers from the National Zoological
Gardens, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The resource persons at the
workshop included Dr. Dave Cooper
of South Africa, Dr. Parag Nigam
of the Wildlife Institute of India,
Dehradun, Dr. Gowri Mallapur of
Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and
Dr. Brij Kishor Gupta, Evaluation
& Monitoring Officer, Central Zoo
Authority.
The workshop focused on various
issues involved in restraining wild
animals of various species and
their transport protocols, with an
emphasis on the usage of drugs
and their dosage for various
species. New technologies involved
in restraining wild animals were
also discussed in detail. During
the workshop, participants also
underwent a field exercise and
hands-on practical session at Assam
Photo Credit: Dr Brij Kishor Gupta
State Zoo, Guwahati, as well as at
the Pygmy Hog Breeding Centre at
Vasistha, Guwahati. Shri Utpal Bora,
Director of the zoo, and Dr. Parag
Dekka, Senior Veterinary Officer at
the breeding centre, explained the
methods adopted for restraining
animals and managing their health.
Shri B. S. Bonal, Member Secretary,
Central Zoo Authority, while delivering
his concluding remarks, requested
the veterinarians participating in
the workshop to follow the norms
prescribed by the Central Zoo
Authority for restraining wild animals
in zoos, for captive management
and for handling animals and thus
ensure the safety of the animals and
the staff. He expressed pleasure at
the participation of zoo veterinarians
from Colombo Zoo, Sri Lanka, as
it represented participation from
SAARC countries.
•
•
WORKSHOPS BEING HELD
Zoo Biologists Workshop at
Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
Zoo keepers’ workshops with
emphasis on enrichment
of animal enclosures at
Nainital, Kanpur, Ahmedabad,
Guwahati, Mysore and
Bhubaneshwar.

•
•
KNOWLEDGE CAFE AT JEJU, KOREA
The World Conservation Congress (WCC) is a great platform for discussions
centred around environmental conservation. It is certainly an opportunity
to expand the conservation community by sharing knowledge, skills and
ambitions.
In the past, the congress was held every two years, then every three years,
and now every four years. Initially, the congress only consisted of the
Members’ Assembly of all IUCN member organizations. Since 1996, the
congress has grown to include the forum and is open to all, to debate
major sustainable development issues, propose solutions and facilitate
sharing of information and experiences.
WCC 2012 was held at the beautiful island of Jeju in Korea. Shri B. S.
Bonal, Member Secretary, attended the congress and participated in the
knowledge café on the Decade of Biodiversity, held on 11 September 2012
under the banner of the WAZA for implementation of Aichi targetd I and
12. The discussions were initiated by Dr. Junhold, President, WAZA, and
introduced by Gerald Dick, Executive Director. Participants included Dr.
Sonja from WRS, Singapore, the Director, Seoul Zoo, Ms. Kanako from
JAJA, and the Director of Thailand Zoo etc. The main purpose was to learn
from each other, to generate ideas and to establish partnerships.
CZA APPROVES EXCHANGE OF ANIMALS BETWEEN INDIAN
AND FOREIGN ZOOS
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling will soon receive six
Markhor (two males and four females) from Augsburg Zoo, Germany.
Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Visakhapatnam will soon receive three
Giraffes (2:4) from Zoo Negara, Malaysia in exchange for three White
Tigers (1:2)
MISMANAGED ZOO
UNDER THREAT OF
DE-RECOGNISATION
The CZA took note of the midterm
evaluation of the Hill Palace
Zoo, Ernakulam and issued a show
cause notice to the zoo authorities
asking why their application for
extension and recognition should
not be cancelled, as the zoo
authorities had failed to comply
with the conditions stipulated in
the last recognition granted by the
Central Zoo Authority.
EXCHANGE OF ANIMALS
BETWEEN INDIAN ZOOS
1. The CZA approved the transfer
of a Leopard cub rescued in
Bijnor Forest Division to National
Zoological Park, Delhi.
2. Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park,
Pune will give one male Sloth
Bear for pairing to Gandhi
Zoological Park, Gwalior.
3. Sri Chamarajendra Zoological
Gardens, Mysore will give two
Indian Gaur to Nehru Zoological
Park, Hyderabad in exchange
for one Jaguar and one Mouse
Deer.
4. Indira Gandhi Zoological Park,
Hyderabad will give one Royal
Bengal Tiger to Arignar Anna
Zoological Park, Vandalur in
exchange for one Indian Gaur
for pairing of existing single sex
animals and for infusion of new
blood lines.
Leopard cub at Delhi Zoo
15

RESCUED SLOW LORIS
RELEASED BACK
TO THE WILD
A male Slow Loris was gifted to
Lourembam Nanda Singh for
food. He refused to kill it and
called the helpline of People for
Animals, Manipur, to rehabilitate
it. Mr. Biswajeet Meitei, Managing
Trustee of People for Animals,
Manipur, received the Slow Loris
on 12 June 2012. The animal
showed signs of dehydration and
had wounds on its forelimbs. After
the Loris regained its health, Dr.
Brij Kishor Gupta, EMO, CZA, was
deputed to visit Manipur and look
into the condition of the Loris and
to identify a suitable habitat for its
release. Under the supervision
of the Addl DGF (WL), JD (WL),
PCCF (WL) and I/C, Chief Wildlife
Warden, Government of Manipur,
Deputy Conservator of Forests
(Park & Sanctuary), Manipur,
Director, Manipur Zoological
Garden, and the Veterinary
Officer of Manipur Zoo, the Slow
ZOO NEWS
Loris was released in Yangoupokpi
Wildlife Sanctuary, in Moreh,
District Chandel, on 6 August
2012. The animal is surviving well
in the forest. The Slow Loris is
being monitored by the Forest
Department, Manipur.
SEIZED LORIS FINDS A
HOME IN DELHI ZOO
The National Zoological Park,
Delhi, has two Lorises seized from
three passengers who arrived from
Thailand at Delhi International
Airport. They were trying to
smuggle them in their clothing. The
Lorises are now safely housed at
the National Zoological Park, Delhi,
and are being closely monitored.
Slow Lorises belong to a group
of five species of strepsirrhine
primate that make up the genus
Nycticebus. One species is native
to India and Indo–China. It is called
the Bengal Slow Loris (Nycticebus
bengalensis).
LUCKNOW ZOO HAS THREE RESCUED LEOPARD CUBS
Lucknow zoo has been entrusted with the task of taking care of three leopard
cubs which were found abandoned in a sugarcane field in Bijnor. The forest
officers of Bijnor recovered the cubs from the villagers who took care of the
three till the forest officers reached the spot. The cubs are now safely housed
in Lucknow zoo.
Photo credit: : Dr Brij Kishor Gupta
NATIONAL ZOO POLICY
PREAMBLE (contd from Page1)
1.4 Today when wildlife habitats are
under severe pressure and a
large number of species of wild
fauna have become endangered,
the zoos have not only to
sustain their own populations
but also augment the depleting
populations of endangered
species in the wild. This new role
has been acknowledged by the
global conservation community
and Article 9 of the Convention
on Biological Diversity.
1.5 As zoos are visited by a large
number of visitors, zoos are a
point a potent tool for education
people about the close linkage
between protection of natural
areas and maintaining the life
supporting processes of nature.
Well-planned and appropriately
designed zoos can sensitize
visitors to the dangers of a
hostile or indifferent attitude
towards nature.
1.6 In India, many well designed
zoos were set up in some of
the States but for the most part,
zoos have not been able to
meet the challenges imposed
by the changing scenario and
still continue with the legacy of
past i.e. displaying animals to
the animals nor educative and
rewarding to the visitors.
1.7 The amendment of the Wildlife
(Protection) Act, in 1991,
provided for the enforcement
of mandatory standards and
norms for management of
zoos through the Central Zoo
Authority. However, it is realised
that the objectives of the Act can
be achieved only through cooperation
and participation of
various government agencies,
non-governmental organisations
and people at large.
1.8 The National Zoo Policy aims at
giving proper direction and thrust
to the management of zoos by
mustering co-operation and
participation of all concerned.
17

Central Zoo Authority
dsUnzh; fpfM+;k?kj izkf/kdj.k
(Statutory Body under the Ministry of Environment and Forests)
Bikaner House, Annexe VI, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi-110011, India
Phone: 011-23381585, 23073072, 23070375, Fax: 91-11-23386012
email: cza@nic.in, website: www.cza.nic.in
‘C’ stands for the first letter of the
Central Zoo Authority and as well
as “Conservation”
The blue hand looks like a
mammal and the white hand
looks like a bird
Interlocking hands
depicts “cooperation and
interdependence”
The openness of the form is
suggestive of getting away from
the traditional bar like enclosures
to “open and naturalistic exhibits”
Designed, and Printed by SKM Wildlife Conservation Foundation for Central Zoo Authority
C-50 Defence Colony, New Delhi-110024, Tel: 2433000, 9811184099, email: skmwildlife@gmail.com
Working team: Punkaj Malhotra, Abdul Gaffar
1