Bengal: Alipore, Oldest Zoological Park in Asia, Under Scanner for Wildlife Trafficking
Sanchita Chatterjee 14 Jul 2025:
We Protest Law Environment India
Reports of several “missing” animals are raising questions about trafficking as well as animal transfer to private zoos and wildlife parks, in violation of the Wildlife Act.
Zoo
Kolkata: Huge discrepancies have been unearthed recently in the number of livestock of endangered animals in Alipore zoo, the oldest zoological garden in India.
According to data furnished by the West Bengal Zoo Authority to the Central Zoo Authority, there has been a marked shortfall in the opening and closing balance of the number of livestock in the zoo.
As on April 1, 2024, the opening balance was shown as 351, while on the previous financial year’s last day, March 31, 2024, the closing balance was 672. What happened to these 321 animals is not known, as per reports.
Similarly, earlier there were about 60 zoological gardens in the state, out of which barring seven, all have been denotified. What happened to the animal stock of all these zoos is also not known state. The market value of these “disappeared” animal is estimated at over Rs 10 crore in “shady markets”, say several wildlife observers. This is giving rise to speculation if these animals have fallen into the wrong hands.
The seven approved zoos in Weste Bengal are:
1. Alipore Zoological Garden, Kolkata.
2. Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling.
3. Bardhaman Zoological Park (Ramnabagan Mini Zoo.
4. Gar Chumuk (Ulughata) Deer Park, Howrah.
5. Harinalaya at Eco Park (Nature Park At Taratola Road) New Town, Kolkata.
6. Rasikbeel Mini Zoo, Cooch Behar.
7. Surulia Mini Zoo, Purulia.
There is also a Bengal Safari Park at Siliguri, which is in private hands. As per the country’s animal handling norms, transferring animals to private hands is a violation. Meanwhile, the state minister concerned, Birbaha Hansda, told the media recently that some animals had arrived at the Bengal Safari Park from the Alipore Zoo, reportedly at a “hefty price”. If true, this would be a violation of the wildlife Act, say wildlife conservationists.
The “disappearance” of animals from the Alipore Zoo has also raised speculation whether the zoo authorities have transferred animals to the Ambani private zoo in Gujarat.
Meanwhile, Swajan, an organisation of concerned citizens, has filed a public interest litigation in Calcutta High Court, alleging irregularities in the zoo, and attempts to sell away zoo land to industrialists for real estate purposes.
The Alipore Zoological Garden is situated on 45 acres of prime land in the heart of the city, in a posh locality called Alipore. It boasts unmatched greenery and a large water body that attracts thousands of migratory birds every year. The market value of the land runs into to several thousand crore.