Once a delightful experience for visitors, India’s largest fenced zoological park now sports a deserted look.

For long having served as home to over a hundred big cats, today their number has fallen to 11, most of them aged and ailing.

The zoo, spread over 505 hectares, houses several rare species including white tigers, horned antelopes, a lion-tailed macaque and a jaguar.

Dying animals

The incidents of animals dying have become far too frequent in the recent past raising questions about the prevailing state of affairs in the zoo.

On Sunday, a tigress was found dead in its enclosure. A few months ago, an ailing old Asian lion breathed his last.

In September 2006, two Royal Bengal white tigers died one after the other due to a parasite infection.

The decline has largely been attributed to inbreeding — a practice that was overlooked by officials when the lion population was swelling at the zoo. “Inbreeding eventually led to biological deformities in several lions. It was then decided to sterilise the entire lot to prevent further damage,” said a zoo official.

Chief Wildlife Warden of Punjab, M P Rai, said: “Mortality is a natural phenomenon. Most of the lions were aged and had lived their life. The death of a few was the fallout of inbreeding.”

Zoo officials claim tigers are immune to the ravages of inbreeding, still retaining the distinction of being genetically pure.

Acute staff shortage

Staff shortage has hit the upkeep of over 966 animal and bird species inside the zoo. Against the sanctioned posts of 21 zookeepers, there are just 15 zookeepers managing 19 animal complexes on the premises.

Part of the zookeeper’s job is to let the animals out into the wild every morning and as sun sets, to ensure all are inside their complexes. Also, a veterinary doctor is supposed to physically scan all animals for injuries every evening. “The exercise is invariably lax. Many at times, the zookeepers double up as vets as well,” said an official.

The lacuna has taken its toll. In April, a Rosy Pelican died after its backbone broke after a zookeeper tried to push it inside its enclosure at dusk. The zookeeper, temporarily assigned the task, was later suspended.

Elephants are taken care of by mauhawats, who are half their sanctioned strength. “The zoo has an annual budget of about Rs 3.5 crore, a major part of which is spent on paying salaries,” said an official.

2003 probe

In 2003, questions were raised on the quality and quantity of meat supplied to the zoo as well as the procurement cost. A probe was ordered and Zoo Director, Dr Vinod Sharma, was booked for the alleged irregularities. The case is still pending in court.