Private zoo in Dadar claims recognition from CZA; authority denies, initiates probe

In the RTI response, the CZA said that no approval for operating has been issued to the Marine Aqua Zoo, which is also known as the Dadar Prani Sanghralaya.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Dr Sanjay Kumar Shukla, member secretary of CZA, said, “Neither has the zoo approached nor have we given them any recognition. We have received a complaint against the zoo and we have written to the chief wildlife warden to inquire into their operations and submit a report.”

According to Shukla, the first inquiry was launched in April 2023, after a complaint alleging illegal operation and poor upkeep of animals in the zoo was received by the CZA. “The CZA forwarded the complaint and a report was sought from the Chief Wildlife Warden, Maharashtra, on April 10, 2024, and May 30, 2024. The reports are awaited,” Shukla said, adding that no action was taken between April and May.

Despite these, the zoo continued to operate as a commercial facility.

When it all began

Operational since 2022, the zoo made news in October 2023, when the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) lodged a complaint against it after a baby crocodile was rescued from the adjacent civic-run Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Olympic Swimming Pool. Following the incident, police and forest department launched a probe at the facility, which then closed operations on October 5.

Couple of months later, the zoo reopened, with the manager of the facility stating that they were housing nearly 200 exotic animals, including different species of fish.

When the The Indian Express visited the zoo a month ago, it found several exotic species, including African ball python, baby anaconda, iguanas, as well as various species of fish and birds, kept inside sub-standard cages for viewing. While some enclosures were empty, certain others with Argentine black and white tegu were filled to capacity.

While the zoo charges an entry fee of Rs 20, it levies separate charges for visitors who want photographs with animals or birds. “For holding a small snake, the charge is Rs 100, while for a bigger snake or iguana, the charge is Rs 200. For holding a macau, the zoo charges Rs 300,” a worker at the facility said.

Dr Sanjay Tripathi, director of the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Vanaspati Udyan and Zoo (Mumbai Zoo), said, “Besides the CZA, no authority can give permission to operate a zoo or even establish a zoo. The authority was made through an amendment in the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. It has been in existence since 1992, for recognising as well as monitoring the functioning and management of all Indian zoos.”

Mumbai has only two CZA approved zoos — Mumbai Zoo and a part of SNGP, including the lion and tiger safari.

The guidelines

Besides the approvals, the CZA also lays down an exhaustive set of guidelines pertaining to the zoo’s management. The authority conducts evaluation of the zoo, facilities and compliance with guidelines.

“The CZA stipulates diets for animals, presence of adequate veterinary doctors, facility as well as lab diagnostic facility. There’s a complete list of guidelines on the collection of animals, how records on their health status are maintained, and on infrastructure. In fact, even the designs of the animal exhibits have to be approved by the CZA,” said Tripathi.

While the CZA is the statutory body responsible for the oversight of Indian zoos, the chief wildlife warden — who is the head of the state’s wildlife — issues recommendations as well as NOC to introduce any exotic species.

According to Pawan Sharma, honorary wildlife warden with the forest department and member of committee to monitor animal welfare laws in Maharashtra, who was part of previous official inspections conducted by the forest department at the Dadar zoo, the facility did not have several documents, including CZA/SZA certificates, NOC from the chief wildlife warden, and Parivesh certification for several species. Certain Parivesh certifications that it had were in the names of different individuals from other states.

“It was also found that the animal cages and enclosures did not have the enrichment as required by the species. The maintenance and operation of the zoo was also not as per the CZA guidelines so were the animal records and health registers,” said Sharma, talking of the inspections conducted in April 2024.

Even as the zoo runs a commercial operation permitting visitors to hold and click pictures with the exotic animals, Sharma said that the zoo did not have PARR certificate (Performing Animals Registration Rules, 2002), required for the same.

When contacted, Yuvraj Moghe, proprietor of the establishment, refused to comment, while the head of the management at the zoo, Amaan Khan, said, “A Supreme Court order in 1983 mentions that the area is recognised by the CZA. We have all the papers. We run an establishment in the heart of not only the city but also the heart of Shivaji Park. If we were doing something wrong, then we wouldn’t be operating till now.”

Adding that they don’t have any Indian species that fall under the Wildlife Protection Act (1972), Khan said, “We only have exotic species at our facility, all of which are registered on the Parivesh portal. Once we get approved by CZA, we may expand.”

However, senior officials from the forest department said that after an amendment in 2023, even exotic animals are now protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. Also, the norms lay down an extensive guideline for procuring exotic animals.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Maheep Gupta told The Indian Express, “For obtaining exotic animals, the norms stipulate proper ownership and import certificates. For animals covered under CITES — an international treaty between nations pertaining to endangered animals, NOC is required from the country of origin. It is only after permission from the country of origin as well as from our country through the PCCF that permissions are granted to bring foreign animals into the country.”

On exotic animals inside the Dadar facility, Gupta said, “We will inform the local officials to check the zoo, examine the animals and conduct a thorough inquiry. If they are found to be unauthorised, we will shut the zoo.”

On Thursday, after the CZA called for a report from the Chief Wildlife Warden of Maharashtra, officials from the forest department launched an investigation.

Earlier troubles

The facility had come under scanner in early 2023 when the proprietors were found to be in possession of several species protected under the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) schedules such as soft-shell turtle and plum-headed parakeets.

In October 2023, the BMC also razed six unauthorised structures built on the premises after the private zoo failed to comply with the civic instructions to remove the temporary structures within 15 days.

On May 3, speaking to The Indian Express, Ajit Kumar Ambi, assistant municipal commissioner said, “We are planning to create a Bhagoji Keer Sanghralaya Smruti Smarak — a memorial for Bhagoji Keer, on the land parcel where the zoo is situated. However, there is a litigation with the matter pending in the High Court. The BMC’s plan is to create a memorial here.”

According to Khan, the facility is being run with an objective of imparting knowledge among its visitors. “Unlike the Mumbai Zoo where one has to read the descriptive boards, at our facility, we provide personalised information to our visitors and educate them about several aspects of the exotic species,” said the manager at the facility in Dadar.