The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has directed the Indore Kamla Nehru Zoo to shift a pair of tigers to Van Vihar National Park here after it found that these felines were kept in a hyena enclosure.
CZA issued these directives in the wake of two incidents in which a tigress, Jamuna, had escaped from its enclosure in Kamla Nehru Zoo (Kamla Nehru Prani Sangrahalaya) twice on November 27 and December 12 respectively last year.
"It was found that authorities of the Kamla Nehru Zoo, Indore failed to house tigers in accordance with standards and dimensions prescribed by the CZA for an enclosure of the tiger," a CZA letter, dated January 10 said.
"Thus, Kamla Nehru Zoo has committed violation of provisions of Scheduled 4 (3) and 4 (5) of Rule 10 under Recognition of Zoo Rules, 2009. Also it was found that the Zoo is housing tigers beyond the available housing facility and the tigress was kept in a hyena enclosure," the letter said.
CZA also told authorities to submit the compliance report after the shifting.
Tiger conservationists are however are demanding action against the Kamla Nehru Zoo's authorities. "Strict action should be taken against the IMC commissioner and Zoo in-charge for the negligence of wildlife norms. Madhya Pradesh has become a dangerous place for free range as well as captive tigers," a Bhopal based tiger conservationist Ajay Dubey said.
We are relieved that the tigress Jamuna did not harm visitors even after her escape otherwise carelessness of Zoo authorities would have led to a big incident, Dubey added.
Dubey said that Jamuna was kept in a hyena enclosure. "A hyena weighs at 40 kilograms while a tigress' weight is over 200 kilograms. How can authorities keep a tigress in cage made for a hyena, despite specific requirements," he asked.