Hog deer found dead at Delhi zoo
A hog deer was found dead in a decomposing condition at the National Zoological Park in the national Capital, authorities said on Thursday.
A letter was submitted to the zoo authorities by the employee who was originally on leave of absence, seeking a detailed inquiry into the animal’s death and alleged lapses in its monitoring.
According to the letter, the hog deer was found dead on August 8, with its neck stuck in a wire mesh in the enclosure. Its body was found in a state of decomposition, suggesting that it may have been there for some time before the death was noticed and reported.
Zoo director Sanjeet Kumar said, “All death is followed by postmortem, and in case of negligence, actions deemed proper are being taken as per report and enquiry.”
According to the letter, the employee who submitted it was on leave during the period, and that the responsibility for monitoring the animals in the beat in his absence had been assigned to another staff member.
It alleged that despite the animal being found dead in the enclosure, the matter was not immediately brought to the notice of senior officers and other authorities.
The letter said the incident raises serious questions about the monitoring of animals and inspection of their condition. It also referred to non-adherence instructions given to the staff for checking animals in the enclosure. The letter has sought an impartial and detailed inquiry to establish the actual time of death based on the post-mortem and veterinary reports and other records.
It has also sought verification of the beat register entries and duty roster for the period preceding August 8 to determine whether the animal was being monitored and whether the enclosure was inspected as required.
It has called for examination of CCTV footage, beat registers, duty charts, and medical records as part of the inquiry.
