No evidence of jackal death in bear enclosure in Zoo inquiry report; handling lapses flagged

While an inquiry report found no evidence which suggested the death of a jackal inside the bear enclosure at the National Zoological Park (NZP), the zoo union has alleged that the carcass was disposed of without any medical examination.

NZP Director Sanjeev Kumar, an IFS officer, said that while the inquiry did not establish that the jackal’s death occurred inside the bear den, it pointed to lapses in following prescribed protocols.

“The report has highlighted that there were some irregularities in handling animals inside the enclosures, as specific procedures are required to be followed when an animal enters another animal’s enclosure,” he said, adding that the report had been forwarded to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for further action.

Meanwhile, a zoo union member said that he had carried the jackal’s body and handed it over to a contractual worker who was instructed to take it to a hospital for a medical examination.

“Instead, the carcass was disposed of midway without any examination following directions from a senior officer,” he said, adding that the inquiry process was not conducted fairly.

The union member further claimed that the investigation was carried out by the joint director of NZP, whom he described as a section officer not authorised to conduct such inquiries.

“The contractual worker was also asked to change his statement during questioning,” he alleged.

There was no immediate response from the zoo authorities to the allegation.

The joint director said the inquiry report had been submitted to the director on January 30.

The incident has already resulted in administrative action, with the officer overseeing the rescue operation being divested of the charge of two ranges after the jackal died of suffocation while being extracted from a Himalayan black bear shelter.

According to an official order issued by the ministry, the responsibilities of Range 1 and Range 2 have been handed over to two other officials as additional charge arrangements.

The NZP has come under scrutiny following allegations by the zoo workers’ union that the jackal, which had escaped from its enclosure, took shelter inside a small enclosed structure meant for bears last month.

The union alleged that after the animal was spotted on December 14, authorities ordered its capture “by any means”.

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According to the union, chilli powder was thrown into a fire lit at the entrance of the den to smoke the animal out but the jackal failed to 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 prescribed protocols, the union alleged.