Inadequate response, unruly visitors led to zoo death: Experts

Lack of an adequate response mechanism by the authorities and unruly behaviour of visitors led to the unfortunate incident at the Delhi zoo Tuesday, where a white tiger mauled a man to death, wildlife experts said.

"The zoo certainly lacks adequate response mechanism. If the tiger had not attacked the man for 15 minutes, then the authorities could have used a tranquiliser and at least tried to divert his attention," Jaya Simha, managing director of Humane Society International (India), told IANS.

According to witnesses, the white tiger attacked the man after almost 15 minutes of his falling into the enclosure.

She said that as the animals are kept in an artificial environment, they tend to reflect stereotypical behaviour.

"Zoos in India do not follow the guidelines of the Central Zoo Authority. The zoo should have had enough guards and enough distance from the enclosures. The zoo has lost the essence of being a centre of education and conservation," Simha said.

Suparna Ganguly, founder trustee of Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA) in Bangalore, told IANS over phone that the onus cannot be put totally on the authorities but the visitors too.

"We get to see a lot of hooliganism in zoos. People misbehave, disturb and harass the animals who have already been deprived of their natural habitat and kept in enclosures," Ganguly said.

Wildlife expert Ajay Suri agreed: "The onus for the incident lies at many places. But there should be some mechanism in these zoos that visitors are at least given some basic education about the behaviour of the wild cats."

The experts said it was time for the government to think and analyse the need of having zoos in the country.

"It has now become crucial that the government should rethink about having zoos as a place for education and conservation. It should only be a place for captive breeding and they should be let off," Ganguly said.