Gorewada ready to acquire excess animals from Solapur zoo

Nagpur: The Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM), which manages the Balasaheb Thackeray Gorewada Zoological Park, is in the process of bringing in excess animals from Mahatma Gandhi Zoo, Solapur.
The Solapur zoo run by the local municipal corporation is in a completely bad shape. As the mini zoo did not comply with the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) norms, it was derecognized on December 28, 2021. Earlier, it was derecognized on November 28, 2018. The zoo has also been closed for visitors.
In February this year, the Solapur municipal commissioner had written to PCCF (wildlife) seeking rehabilitation of zoo animals in Gorewada. Accordingly, on July 14, 2022, the Solapur deputy conservator of forests (DyCF) wrote to the FDCM about the transfer of animals to Gorewada.
As per the Solapur zoo authorities, there are 137 animals including 16 crocodiles, 66 spotted deer, 22 black bucks, 12 sambar, 4 peafowls, 6 bonnet macaque, 7 rhesus macaque and 4 leopards.
FDCM general manager Rishikesh Ranjan confirmed that last week Gorewada zoological park curator Dipak Sawant visited the Solapur zoo to cross-check the health of animals and to explore the possibilities of transfer. It was found that the animal ratio in Solapur zoo is badly skewed.
In a mini zoo, as per CZA norms, there should not be more than 10 herbivores but their number is quite high in Solapur zoo due to lack of management. For example, instead of 10 deer, there are 66.
According to Ranjan, on August 18, divisional manager and Gorewada director Shatanik Bhagwat has written to the Solapur municipal commissioner showing readiness to acquire 38 animals. This includes 2 crocodiles, 13 deer, 5 blackbucks, 8 sambars, 4 peafowls, 3 bonnet macaque, and 3 rhesus macaque. However, CZA permission will be needed to acquire these animals.
“A parallel proposal is also being worked out to release excess herbivores in Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR) in Western Maharashtra,” said Solapur civic body officials.
Even if there are excess animals in Solapur zoo, Gorewada zoological park has limited carrying capacity. The Indian Safari is spread over 115 hectares, out of which the herbivore safari is situated on 45 hectares.
“Currently, there are 100 herbivores in the 45 hectares enclosure. These include 18 nilgais, 30 black bucks, 20 barking deer, 7 sambars, 8 Sangai deer, while the remaining are spotted deer. We can have 200 animals, but in future there may be breeding and some animals will have to be removed,” said FDCM officials.
The Solapur municipal officials admitted that the zoo is ill-maintained due to a lack of funds but they feel it should not be closed. “The zoo revamp needs at least Rs50-60 crore. Its survival depends on the release of funds. The MoEFCC during a hearing in June had granted three months time to improve. The deadline expires in September,” they said.