Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Bannerghatta National Park

Four animals -- two lions and two tigers -- have died and many animals have fallen sick in the last one week.

“A tigress, Divya (4), died of diarrhoea, while reason behind the death of three other animals (one tiger and two lions) is said to be old age. We are taking appropriate steps to prevent spread of any infection... Infection may be due to water contamination or stale food,” Home Minister V S Acharya told reporters after holding a high-level meeting with the Forest Department officials.

Divya’s mother and two siblings with whom she was lodged in the cage, have also developed diarrhoea. Steps are being taken to provide clean water, hygienic food and proper medical facilities to all animals in the Park. The Park officials are working with experts from Veterinary College in this regard, he said.

Acharya said 16 animals have died in the park in the last 10 months, including five tigers and five lions. The mortality rate is around four per cent. There are total 1,300 animals, both carnivorous and herbivorous, at the Bannerghatta National Park. Nearly 1,300 kg of meat, mostly beef, is supplied to the Park for feeding animals every day. Meat is provided only after testing its quality. The main source of drinking water for animals is borewells, he added. When asked about the poor state of Kavalkere lake near the Park, the minister said the lake is located outside the jurisdiction of the Park and the Park animals are not provided with water from this lake.

Officials at all Zoological Gardens have been directed to focus on hygiene, he added. (DHNS)

Debate:
= Is this a Sabotage by vested interests, in a bid to take over the Park?
= Should our National Parks/ Zoo be handed over to multinational corporate entities?
= Time to adopt the standards/ commercial models of Night Safari/ Singapore Zoo?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had been to Bannerghatta Park earlier.It is simply amazing.Even we have volvo buses to this place from Majestic.

In my opinion this park should be left as it is with better amenities or the animals be shifted to the Nagarahole/Bandipur area.

I don't prefer the multinational companies taking care of this. In the name of innovation they may try something on these endangered species if given the ownership.

Ashwini said...

Its sad..I hate to see this happening again and again..Then whats the use of launching all these activities..
"Just 1411 left..You can make a difference."??

vishesh said...

please do not allow for a night safari in the park.It would be an extraordinarily foolish move.When the existing animals are already in such a pitiful state and with the spate of recent tiger deaths, such a move would be suicidal for the park. The tourism ministry has to be termed callous and irresponsible for initiating such a move.