Pune : Katraj Zoo Director Booked For Mismanagement Of Wild Animals In Scheduled Category
Pune 16th Sept 2023: The Pune division of forest department has lodged a case against the director of Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park of Katraj Rajkumar Jadhav over the allegations of mismanagement of wild animals in the scheduled category. The offence was registered after a committee that investigated the allegations highlighted several flaws in the management of wild animals in the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park and Wildlife Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation center located in Katraj.
The investigation found that the authorities had implemented antelope breeding program without getting approvals from the concerned authorities. Besides, the investigation also did not find the offline details of many animals. The officials have also claimed that around 82 of the animals kept in the illegal captivity have been identified including those who come under the ‘most protected animals’ category.
The department is now planning to seize the animals kept in the illegal captivity besides initiating action against the zoo authorities. The offence against the zoo director has been registered by the forest department under sections 2 (16-G), 9, 39 and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act.
The investigation was conducted after the forest department received a complaint in April this year regarding irregularities in the Zoo. A wildlife waren Aditya Paranjape had alleged in his complaint that many wild animals in the Zoo were kept illegally captive while many of them were released to different habitats by the authorities.
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