India Takes Action Against Posing With Big Cats
Thank you the CZA. Now lets have other zoo organisations around the world follow suit. There is too much of this. Pulling cubs deliberately for photos or deliberately for hand rearing using any old made up excuse. Zoo staff the world over could do animals a favour by keeping their own 'posing' photos private. Posting on Facebook and elsewhere does more harm than most realise.
Leave the cubs alone!
The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has taken serious note of the alarming trend of people posing with animals in Bannerghatta National Park and flaunting these pictures - which often go viral -- on social networking sites.
Clearly indicating its intention to clamp down on this fad, the premier body for zoos and zoo animals in the country has ordered a probe into individuals and an NGO in instances that are allegedly in gross violation of CZA rules. Based on a directive from their central body, which dashed off a letter on Thursday, the Karnataka Zoo Authority is probing three such cases. Such tactile association poses potential risk to the young wildlife, authorities warn.
Wildlife activists in Bangalore first alerted the vigilance wing of the state forest department. The issue was also brought to the notice of the-now union minister Maneka Gandhi. Gandhi's People For Animals then took it up with the CZA.
Under the scanner are an NGO, which allegedly facilitates pictures and selfies with wild animals, besides a forest official and individuals named in the complaint.
In a directive to his counterpart in Karnataka on May 29, Bishan Singh Bonal, Member Secretary, CZA, ministry of environment and forestry, has stated, "Kindly cause an inquiry and take action as per the prevailing rule and regulations. Sub rule 5(6) of Rule 10 under Recognition of Zoo Rule 2009 (amendment 2013), reads, 'The curatorial -- The animals shall be handled only by the staff having experience and training in handling the individual animals'. Whereas, as per photographs, it seems that general visitors are allowed to pose for photography in violation of RZR, 2009 under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Your early action with status report is solicited." The whistleblower in this case is a 33-year-old MBA graduate Hari Krishna. Besides wildlife photography, he also runs adventure biking expeditions themed around nature and wildlife con
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http://www.bangaloremirror.com/bangalore/cover-story/Leave-the-cubs-alone/articleshow/35855127.cms
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