Delhi Zoo shifts range charges amid jackal death allegations

Amid allegations that a jackal died of suffocating during an operation to extract it from a bear shelter at the National Zoological Park (NZP) here, the charge of two ranges has been withdrawn from the officer who was overseeing the operation.

According to an official order issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the charges of Range 1 and Range 2 have been handed over to two other officials as additional in-charge arrangements.

The order stated that, this arrangement will remain in force till the completion of the inquiry into the matter.

The officer whose charge has been withdrawn is the curator (education), while the additional charge of the two ranges has been assigned to a contractual assistant veterinary officer (AVO) and a section supervisor (SS), the order said.

However, Delhi Zoo Director, Dr Sanjeet Kumar, had earlier said that no such incident had been reported to him at the time. He said the joint director had been asked to inquire into the allegations and added that the number of jackals in the zoo’s inventory, display and holding areas currently matched official records.

NZP has come under scrutiny following allegations by the zoo workers’ union that a jackal, which had escaped from its enclosure, died of suffocation inside a Himalayan black bear den after staff allegedly used chilli powder and fire to force it out.

The union claimed the incident took place last month after the animal took shelter in a small enclosed structure meant for bears. It alleged that the jackal was spotted on December 14, following which authorities ordered its capture “by any means”.

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According to the union, chilli powder was poured into a fire lit at the entrance of the den to smoke the animal out, but the jackal could not escape and died of suffocation. The animal was allegedly found dead and partially burnt on December 18 after a foul smell was noticed.

The carcass was disposed of without informing zoo veterinarians and without conducting a mandatory postmortem examination, in violation of protocols, the union alleged.

In a letter written to the ministry earlier this week, the zoo workers’ union sought a court-monitored independent inquiry, alleging that inhumane and illegal methods were adopted instead of prescribed animal rescue procedures, and also claimed that the incident was not reported in accordance with rules.