Alipore Zoo records 59 endangered animals overnight; Data shows years of irregularities

Discrepancies in official animal records at Kolkata’s Alipore Zoo have revealed that 59 endangered animals disappeared from inventory reports overnight. As per the Central Zoo Authority’s ‘Annual Inventory of Animals,’ the number of endangered animals at the zoo was recorded as 190 on March 31, 2021-22. However, on April 1, the first day of the next financial year, the figure dropped to 131—indicating a reduction of 59 animals within 24 hours, with no stated explanation.

Similar inconsistencies have appeared in previous years. In 2016-17, records showed 1,186 animals in the zoo as of March 31. On April 1, the count listed under “opening stock” fell to 929—showing a sudden gap of 257 animals. The records do not specify whether the animals died, were transferred, or if there was an error in documentation. The discrepancy has been noted solely in Alipore Zoo’s data, with other zoos not showing similar abrupt changes.

The Central Zoo Authority has been publishing the annual inventory data for several decades. Based on these reports, the animal population in Alipore Zoo has shown a steady decline. In 1995-96, the zoo housed 1,805 animals, which included 87 reptiles, 363 mammals, and 1,355 birds. By 2023-24, the number had dropped to 672 animals—comprising 135 reptiles, 129 mammals, and 408 birds. This marks a reduction of 1,133 animals over a span of 28 years.

Alipore Zoo has not provided specific public clarification on the annual fluctuations in animal numbers. The data reviewed pertains directly to the inventories submitted by the zoo to the Central Zoo Authority. The difference in numbers year-to-year has not been attributed to any specific causes such as relocation, mortality, or record-keeping adjustments in the published documents.

Adjacent to the zoo is a facility comprising a quarantine centre and hospital for sick and rescued animals. The land on which the facility stands was proposed for sale, and tenders had been floated for this purpose. The proposed plan aimed to bring the hospital within the zoo’s main premises, but no further structural or operational details were published in the available reports.

A collective named ‘SWAJAN’ (Save Our Zoo and Nature’s Wildlife) was formed by multiple environment-focused groups to oppose the sale of the facility’s land. The group filed a public interest litigation stating that relocating the animal hospital and rescue centre could affect animal welfare. A representative of the platform stated, “The hospital and rescue center cannot be managed within the zoo’s compound. These must remain where they are. No multi-storeyed building should be constructed on that land.”