Animals Used for Entertainment

India's Zoos: A Grim Report

Concrete and Iron Cells

Between July 2005 and February 2006, PETA investigators visited 14 zoos throughout India and found appalling neglect, decrepit facilities and animal suffering on a massive scale. Every facility was seriously deficient in terms of food, drinking water, housing, veterinary care, environmental enrichment, and safety and security.

Countless animals have no food or water. Many live in concrete and iron cages which do not have any enrichment or even a blade of grass. Some cages are so small that the animals can barely move. Many animals exhibit neurotic and abnormal behaviours, including pacing, head bobbing and extreme agitation. Some animals have visible injuries and are clearly ill.

Animals are housed inappropriately: Prey animals are kept in close proximity to predators in several facilities, which causes extreme stress to both types of animals. Some social primates are housed individually, and one elephant was chained by both front legs. Many animals have no shelter to protect them from weather extremes or to give them privacy. Animals were observed eating debris, rotten food and items which were thrown into their cages. Water moats are dry, fencing is rusted and insecure, and cages are barren and bleak.

Some facilities have few or no staff members present   much less security. One zoo was officially closed, yet our investigators and visitors walked right in. Visitors were seen feeding the animals, with no zoo personnel in sight. Our investigators saw that visitors were teasing and taunting animals and throwing rocks and debris. Few or no educational materials were available.

Supreme Court Order

With the results of our investigation, we filed a case in the Supreme Court of India. The Supreme Court gave an order on 9 October 2006, banning the further breeding of specified animals in zoos across the country. To see a copy of the order, click here.

The Zoos

Click on the shaded states to view PETA's zoo reports.   Assam Assam Zoo and Botanical Garden, Guwahati   Madhya Pradesh Kamala Nehru Park, Indore   Maharashtra Aurangabad Municipal Zoo, Aurangabad Hutatma Bagh Prani Sanghralaya, Solapur Mahatma Gandhi Zoo, Solapur Maharaja Shahaji Chattrapati Zoo, Kolhapur Maharajbaug Zoo, Nagpur Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, Pune Shikshan Mandal Snake Park, Dholgarwadi, Kolhapur Somnath Prakalpa Zoo, Chandrapur   Meghalaya Lady Hydari Park and Mini Zoo, Shillong   Mizoram Aizawl Zoo, Aizawl   Nagaland Kohima Zoo, Kohima   Rajasthan Bikaner Zoo, Bikaner Jodhpur Zoo, Jodhpur Udaipur Zoo, Udaipur Kota Zoo, Kota   Uttar Pradesh Kanpur Zoo, Kanpur   West Bengal Alipore Zoological Gardens, Kolkata   Assam Assam Zoo and Botanical Garden, Guwahati   Madhya Pradesh Kamala Nehru Park, Indore   Maharashtra Aurangabad Municipal Zoo, Aurangabad Hutatma Bagh Prani Sanghralaya, Solapur Mahatma Gandhi Zoo, Solapur Maharaja Shahaji Chattrapati Zoo, Kolhapur Maharajbaug Zoo, Nagpur Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, Pune Shikshan Mandal Snake Park, Dholgarwadi, Kolhapur Somnath Prakalpa Zoo, Chandrapur   Meghalaya Lady Hydari Park and Mini Zoo, Shillong   Mizoram Aizawl Zoo, Aizawl   Nagaland Kohima Zoo, Kohima   Rajasthan Bikaner Zoo, Bikaner Jodhpur Zoo, Jodhpur Udaipur Zoo, Udaipur Kota Zoo, Kota   Uttar Pradesh Kanpur Zoo, Kanpur   West Bengal Alipore Zoological Gardens, Kolkata

What You Can Do

Animals in zoos throughout India are suffering. Significant improvements across the board need to be implemented immediately. Please write polite letters to the following officials expressing your concern and demanding that action be taken:

Shri. A. Raja Union Minister of Environment and Forests Paryavaran Bhavan CGO Complex Lodhi Road New Delhi 110 003 India 91-11-2436 1896 secymenf@nic.in

Member Secretary Central Zoo Authority Annexe-VI, Bikaner House Shahjahan Road New Delhi 110 011 India 91-011-2338 1585 91-011-2338 6012 (fax) cza@nic.in

The most significant action you can take is to stop patronising zoos and animal displays. Zoos will be forced to stop breeding and capturing more animals from the wild if their financial support disappears. If a zoo in your area relies on government subsidies to survive, urge your officials to stop funnelling tax money into the zoo. Zoos divert funds from legitimate conservation efforts. If your zoo solicits money from corporate donors, charitable organisations and foundations, write to the zoo's sponsors and encourage them to instead direct their money towards the protection of animals in the wild. Include a copy of PETA's "Zoos: Caged Cruelty" brochure with your letters.