Simian scare haunts zoo

DESPITE THE sprawling lake in the Zoological Garden here being protected against the falling of sewer water into it thereby protecting the inmates from several water-borne diseases, the menace of the stray monkeys is still to be tackled. These monkeys are major infection-carriers.

DESPITE THE sprawling lake in the Zoological Garden here being protected against the falling of sewer water into it thereby protecting the inmates from several water-borne diseases, the menace of the stray monkeys is still to be tackled. These monkeys are major infection-carriers.

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Earlier, stray monkeys were caught and left in the forest but now, that’s become impractical. On the one hand, the Zoo authorities lack sufficient funds for hiring professional monkey-catchers and transporters and on the other, none of the Forest authorities are ready to allow the stray monkeys left in the forests due the protests from those residing near the forests. Zoo officials say experts, who visited the zoo recently to provide specialised treatment to the animals, said the animals may be at the risk of contracting tuberculosis because of the stray monkeys.

These monkeys often bring in food to the zoo from the adjacent TB Hospital.

This food is often consumed by the animals at the zoo. The zoo officials have trapped several stray monkeys and ‘deported’ them to the forests but to little avail. The zoo officials have now, also decided to launch a blood test drive for the zoo employees who deal with the animals. Besides, Zoo director Hemant Kumar has proposed several other precautionary measures to keep the zoo free from disease. He has also taken steps to provide tested meat to the carnivorous as the infected meat could also raise the possibilities of the disease among the animals. gp.v@rediffmail.com