Towards a better zoo

Today being World Animal Day, I thought of penning some words on the National Zoological Gardens which has very much been in the news recently.

The news has been both positive and negative. First, the good news. The Zoo has been seeing record crowds in recent weeks, with revenues reaching previously unimaginable levels. It has been a good year so far for the zoo, as far as crowds are concerned.

On the other hand, there have been disturbing reports of animal deaths at the zoo, the country's Premier Zoological Exhibition and Research Centre.

Some of these are rare and exotic animals. It was reported in newspapers that none of the 20 baby anacondas born some months ago had survived. This is indeed tragic from the point of view of animal conservation.

Various reasons are being attributed to this state of affairs. Allegations are being made against zoo officials and workers that animal welfare is being neglected. We cannot pass judgement on these issues without knowing all the facts, but there are certain observations that should be raised by all right thinking persons to put the zoological garden on the right track.

The widely held perception is that the zoo is basically a collection of animals 'showcased' for exhibition. Indeed, one will have to visit all the continents to see all of these animals in the wild. In the case of fish, chances are that most of us will never ever see them underwater, except in an aquarium. The zoo gives us an opportunity to see, admire and learn about various animals from Sri Lanka and abroad in one place.

But what many people do not know, or conveniently forget, is that zoos serve a larger purpose. That is conservation and research. Zoos serve as a focal point for saving and carrying out research on endangered animals. Some zoos hold very rare animals in captivity with the aim of increasing their population numbers. Zoos around the world also exchange animals - this is indeed how our zoo has received several exotic species which are not present in Sri Lanka.

It necessarily follows that gate receipts of zoos should mostly go to animal welfare and research. With the record crowds that the Dehiwela zoological garden has attracted, it would not be wrong to say that adequate funds should be available for sustaining the animals and carrying out conservation activities. Any other scenario calls for an investigation.

In the case of the death of anacondas, the authorities should conduct a full investigation to find what went wrong. There is another school of thought that we should have given away some of the anacondas to other zoos in exchange for other animals. Such possibilities must be considered the next time our main zoo gets a 'windfall' of this nature.

The welfare of animals must be given priority at any zoo. Different animals have different dietary and habitat needs. These needs must be catered to in an appropriate manner after considering the animals' natural habitats and required foods. Their enclosures must be kept clean at all times.

Talking of enclosures, most zoos around the world have adopted open-plan enclosures for their animals, whereby the animal in captivity does not really feel that it is in an artificial environment. Instead of metal cages, these zoos have large protected enclosures where the animals can roam about.

The visitors' safety is completely assured as the animals cannot escape, even though they occupy a fairly large area. We are told that this concept is being adopted in a number of new zoological gardens coming up in other parts of the island. It benefits both animals and their human visitors, as the latter can view the animals in a 'natural' environment. The animals too must certainly feel a fair degree of freedom. It should not be too difficult to implement these concepts at the new zoos which are being built literally from the ground up.

The Pinnawela elephant orphanage and the Uda Walawe elephant transit camp are good case studies for such an experiment. They have been a huge success, with both Sri Lankans and foreigners flocking in record numbers to see the elephants at close range. They are also good examples for animal births in captivity - a highlight for any zoo.

Our authorities should also study famous zoos in other countries for valuable inputs and insights into design, maintenance, conservation efforts and revenue management.

Visitors too must be educated on what they should and should not do in the zoo. Feeding the animals, especially the primates, must be made strictly taboo for all visitors. Leaving polythene bags and bottles behind should also be out of the question.

Zoo officials must make use of the media to educate the public on these vital issues. Schoolchildren should be especially targeted, being the main category of visitors to the zoo.

The zoo must also be promoted as part of our tourist trail, since it contains many endemic species.

Even most Sri Lankans do not know about these species and the zoo must regularly highlight such facts and new arrivals from other countries in order to attract more visitors - and revenue.

Prominent zoologists and the Young Zoologists Association must play a greater role in matters pertaining to the zoo. They should be involved in a healthy dialogue with wildlife and zoo authorities. They could be a voice for the proper upkeep of the zoological gardens.

The authorities must take stock of all the controversial incidents that took place at the zoo in recent months and conduct an investigation to ascertain the truth. Such a probe could identify lapses which may have led to several unfortunate situations, so that they could be rectified in the future. The zoo is virtually a national treasure that must be maintained well for the benefit of present and future generations.

Only then will it be able to continue its record breaking run while ensuring the well-being of all animals. It must not at any time lose sight of the bigger picture of protecting fauna.