Saturday 24 May 2008

SOMETIMES 'GRASS' DOES THIS TO YOU

If one were to believe this report in The Navhind Times, carnivores in Goa's Bondla zoo are actually made to eat grass? How many of you fellas believe this guys? Roque may have been trying to make a point about food shortage, but leopards eating grass?!?!? Roque otherwise is a very industrious bugger, but this is really bizzare stuff from him...

Steady decline of animals at Bondla zoo
by Roque Dias
Ponda, March 5 The Bondla zoo that once boasted of having many species of animals is steadily losing its charm, with eyebrows being raised over the steady decrease of animals at the zoo.
Six animals, including a fox, a peahen, a jackal, and a leopard, have died in the last few months, according to zoo sources.
Visitors and sources alleged that most of the animals were not properly fed; though the range forest officer, Mr Pradeep Vernekar disputed this.
To make matters worse for the animals, there is only a lone visiting doctor who examines the animals, once a week.
A source from the zoo who did not wish to be named said, “A permanent doctor is needed here. A peahen died few days back, while few weeks back a fox lost its life.”
Apart from this a couple of bears also died allegedly due to the apathy of the zoo officials. “If everything was well, why would these animals die,” he queried.
The source further alleged that food meant for the animals does not reach them and added that the animals even carnivorous ones are fed grass, grass and more grass.
The source further claimed that a tiger was allegedly released in the Anmod Ghat allegedly to avoid feeding it.
It must be noted here that the veterinary hospital at the zoo which was opened in 2005 lacks a permanent doctor since the Pune-based doctor who was appointed left the place after her contract expired
The forest department never bothered to fill up the vacant post which would reduce the work load. There are a total of 99 other staff posted at the zoo.
A visit to the zoo revealed that the lone bear was housed in a small congested room despite there being an huge open space that has been marked for the bear by cutting huge trees and shrubs.Apart from this most of the cages were either corroded or broken and just fixed together.
Forest officer in-charge of Bondla, Mr Verenkar on his part said that all the animals are treated well and fed properly as per their specific dietary habits.
On the poor living conditions of the bear, the officer said that the bear would be shifted to the open space soon. On the death of the peahen, the officer pinned his hopes on the post mortem reports for the cause of the death.
“The Central Zoo Authorities ( CZA), had considered Bondla and we are drawing a bigger plan for more animals,” he said adding that health conditions are “perfectly maintained” and there was no question of shortage of feed.
The deputy conservator of forest (wild life and eco-tourism) could not be contacted despite constant attempts.

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

grass also means a kind of drugs...... ha ha ha.. bondla animals consume drugs?? hinterland tourism is going scarlett way.

25 May 2008 at 13:44  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You never know, the Goan Babus.
They have lost all morality and for a few notes they are sure to feed grass to carnivorous.
Frankly somebody should release all the animals from Bondla into the wild.
A doctor visiting only once a week. Shameful.
Anyway who will care for the animals when there is complete apathy on every front.

25 May 2008 at 18:40  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

oi the animals are already free. They wre seen gathering in a pack up north on a hillock in porvorim. It is rumored that the only surviving Dodo bird was last seen in Varca... looked well fed to me though... Im not Jokin

28 May 2008 at 06:52  

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