Mumbai: The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered notices to be served to 37 zoos across India, following investigations conducted by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
PETA had filed a case in the SC against the substandard and inhumane state of zoos across the country after conducting investigations of more than 30 zoos.
In its investigations, amongst other points, PETA has found that zoo officials are not always properly trained in the care of animals, veterinary doctors do not always have adequate wildlife training and some zoos do not even have veterinary doctors.
Investigations show elephants that are kept chained and shackled all the time and bears that have gone mad in captivity.
According to PETA, animals who are removed from their natural habitats do not behave normally.
Animals are closely confined, lack privacy and have little opportunity for mental stimulation and physical exercise.
These conditions often result in abnormal and self-destructive behaviours or "zoochosis".
The list of abuses goes on: Snakes are left to slither on hard concrete; nocturnal animals are tortured by harsh sunlight in the absence of shelter or even soft ground to burrow in; aquatic animals often have inadequate supplies of water and animals who live in large herds or family groups in nature are kept alone.
Last year, the Mumbai High Court ordered improvements at the Mumbai Zoo after PETA filed a case in October 2004 citing the zoo's failure to provide even the most basic care for animals who are held captive there.
The High Court of Mumbai ordered major improvements at the zoo, including a directive ordering that the population of deer and exotic birds be controlled and that 10 more security guards be hired and trained by PETA.
Visitors can no longer bring food or plastic into the zoo or tease the animals. The zoo is not allowed to acquire any more animals unless it provides them with appropriate housing.
Says Anuradha Sawhney,PETA India's chief functionary, "Although zoos make high-sounding claims, they are guilty of a total failure to treat their captives humanely. We are better educated by nature. With adequate funding and proper zoo officials, zoos could turn these prisons into sanctuaries for animals rescued from madaris and pet shops."
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