Summary:
Indore: The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has sent a notice to Kamla Nehru Prani Sangrahalay seeking an explanation on the death of 18-month-old lion , Sultan, at the zoo on August 8, 2018.A reply has been sought from the Indore zoo by August 31, failing which appropriate action will be taken against the zoo.The notice has been sent by the CZA on the basis of a complaint by activist Ajay Dubey. 12 hours before it died, its body temperature started dropping and its condition began to deteriorate. Sultan and its sister Sundari had been discarded by their mother immediately after their birth due to which they had to be kept in a separate cage.A copy of the notice has also been sent to the Chief Wildlife Warden and the secretary of department of urban development and housing, and officer in charge of Indore zoo. Dubey has alleged that the lion had died due to inadequacy in healthcare of the animal and failure to provide timely veterinary intervention.The complaint by Dubey also referred to the previous deaths of animals at Indore zoo, alleging that the rules and provisions under Wildlife (Protection) Act were being violated at the Indore zoo.“It has been my long standing demand that a state zoo authority should be set up in Madhya Pradesh and the administration of all zoos of MP must be handed over to this body,” Dubey said.The zoo is currently being maintained by Indore Municipal Corporation.The notice by the CZA has also sought the animal’s history card, treatment card and postmortem report to be submitted for perusal by the CZA and further necessary action.“If no reply is filed within stipulated time period, it shall be presumed that the zoo operator has nothing to submit in the matter and further necessary action shall be initiated as per the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act,” the notice read.Sultan had been suffering from paralysis for one week before his death..