SC summons CZA chief over skinning of tiger in AP Zoo

The Bench comprising Justice Anand, Justice R C Lahoti and Justice Brijesh Kumar, while adjourning hearing of a PIL filed by animal activist Navin Raheja for two weeks, also directed the Centre to file an affidavit detailing steps taken for the protection of tigers both in zoos and in the wild.

Justice Anand reminded the Central Government counsel Krishan Mahajan about the concern voiced by the court on the "distressing state of affairs so far as welfare of animals both in reserve forests and zoos".

Castigating the Andhra Pradesh Government, the bench said "it is extremely distressing that poachers are now getting into the government house (zoos) and killing the animals under the very nose of the Government."

Raheja said poachers were now targeting tigers in zoos as they were becoming rare in the wild due to drastic reduction in their population because of unchecked killing.

The court had also expressed serious concern over the death of a dozen rare breed white tigers in the famous Nandan Kanan Zoo in Orissa and termed as shocking the way the tigers were handled by the zoo keepers.

"The situation is distressing," the bench said today and added "we think human beings have to hang their heads in shame as a tiger in a zoo has been skinned alive."

The court asked the Centre "has anything been done or because animals cannot sit in dharna or vote that they will be allowed to be slaughtered."

On September 18, it had told Solicitor General Harish Salve to look into the suggestions given by Raheja and respond as to what steps were taken by the Centre as well as the state governments for the protection of tigers in captivity as well as in reserve forests.

The court had observed during the last hearing that to prevent recurrence of such tragic incidents, "the Centre as well as the state governments need to have inclination and determination to do something but ironically both these qualities seems lacking."