E-Paper
Fund crunch hits zoo, animals need help
KANPUR ZOOLOGICAL Garden (Zoo) is in need of assistance from philanthropists once again. It not only requires financial assistance but also adoption of big animals by interested persons and organisations.
KANPUR ZOOLOGICAL Garden (Zoo) is in need of assistance from philanthropists once again. It not only requires financial assistance but also adoption of big animals by interested persons and organisations.
According to zoo authorities, they were unable to carry out most ambitious programme of developing the zoo into one of the best in the country just for fund crunch. The only hope of promoting welfare schemes for zoo inmates lay on the shoulders of philanthropists, who could adopt animals for their better upkeep, said a senior official of the zoo.
Animal lovers also feel that government assistance alone will not be sufficient for welfare of zoo inmates and people from affluent classes have to take lead in extending direct fiscal support to the zoo or by adopting some of the big animals.
However, it is strange that despite appeal for adoption of animals, no philanthropist offered to adopt animals. But all appeals fell on deaf ears of citizens. On the other hand, one philanthropist alleged the strict government laws relating to animals and tax complications discouraged them to come forward to contribute to welfare of animals.
According to them, unless existing laws pertaining to animals were changed and tax relaxation were introduced by the government, philanthropists would remain helpless in extending their support to zoo animals.
With the death of a lioness and other big animals during the past years, the zoo also needed their replacement. But, this too was not possible amidst tough wild life laws. Existing laws prohibit exchange or import and export of animals except under certain exceptional conditions with prior permission of wild life authorities.
