Kohima Zoo

• Nearly all the enclosures are poorly maintained and foul-smelling. Excrement covers floors, contaminating the drinking water in many cages.
• There are no roofs to protect animals from the elements.
• There are no stand-off barriers to keep visitors a safe distance away from cages. The keepers' quarters are right beside the animal enclosures, separated only by a low wall.
• Animals appeared hungry and were seen begging for food. Food items, apparently thrown in by visitors, were observed lying on the floor of one of the bear cages.
• Poor security and disrepair make it easy for people to enter or break in to the zoo and its enclosures. People were observed scavenging firewood on the zoo grounds. Locals confirmed animals are often smuggled out and killed for food.
• On the day of our inspection, animals exhibited acute stress-related stereotypic behaviours, such as banging their heads on walls and spinning in circles.
• The cement floor of one bear enclosure was wet and foul-smelling, and there was no dry or clean place to sit. There was a leaking tap next to his cage.
• A bear is kept alone in a barren cage, with only one small window and two holes to keep the enclosure from being entirely closed in. The cage is full of stone and mud projectiles which were apparently thrown in by visitors.
• The retiring cubicle of one leopard is very small and insufficient. Many animals have no retiring rooms at all.
• Bird enclosures have broken netting. No water was observed.
• Gibbons and other monkeys have visible wounds. No food or water was observed.

This bear has gone mad, reaching out with his paws and gnawing at the bars.

This is another bear enclosure. The roof and the flooring are all broken. A dirty drain runs in front of it. There are people living right next to the cage.

This is another bear enclosure. Visitors look at the bear from the windows in this wall. The bear cannot see anything.

The bird enclosure (on the left) does not provide shade, shelter or enrichment. It is also very close to the neighbouring village and offers no security to the birds.