Lok Sabha Question No. 5213 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-04-03
Subject: Setting up of Zoos
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Vijay Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 5213

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.04.2023

## Setting up of Zoos

## 5213.  DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE: SHRI VIJAY KUMAR:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state :

- (a) the total number of zoos in the country, State-wise;
- (b) whether the Government has received any proposals from the State Government of Maharashtra for setting up of new zoos;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government thereto;
- (d) whether the Government has any proposal for formulation of a grading system to evaluate the performance of the zoos in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) the steps taken by the Government in this regard so far; and
- (f) whether  the  Government  had  earlier  planned  to  turn  the  forests  in  Bihar particularly Gaya into Wild Life sanctuary and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) Details of State-wise number of zoos in the country recognized under Section 38-H of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 are placed as Annexure-I.
- (b) and (c) Details  of  proposals  received  during  current  and  three  preceding  financial year from Maharashtra for establishment of zoos and action taken thereof are placed as Annexure-II.
- (d) and (e) The Central Zoo Authority has instituted Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) for zoos. It is a systematic assessment process that aims to identify gaps and design strategies to improve zoo management, conservation, education, and animal welfare. By evaluating zoos on various parameters, it helps to create action plans for long-term wildlife conservation and improved welfare  practices.  It  also  helps  to  focus  management  efforts  in  resourceconstrained  situations.  The  MEE  for  zoos  is  conducted  every  four  years, ensuring regular monitoring and progress tracking. The first phase which was conducted in 2021 covered 39 zoos which included16 large category and 23 medium category zoos.
- (f) Under  the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, State Governments have the power to declare an area as a sanctuary. In the district of  Gaya,  Gautam  Buddha  Wildlife  Sanctuary  was  notified  by  the  State Government in 1976.

***

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5213 due for reply on 03.04.2023 regarding 'Setting up of Zoos'.

| Sl.   | State / Union Territory   |   Number of zoos |
|-------|---------------------------|------------------|
| 1     | Andaman &Nicobar Islands  |                1 |
| 2     | Andhra Pradesh            |                5 |
| 3     | Arunachal Pradesh         |                4 |
| 4     | Assam                     |                3 |
| 5     | Bihar                     |                2 |
| 6     | Chhattisgarh              |                3 |
| 7     | Dadra &Nagar Haveli       |                1 |
| 8     | Delhi                     |                2 |
| 9     | Goa                       |                1 |
| 10    | Gujarat                   |               10 |
| 11    | Haryana                   |                6 |
| 12    | Himachal Pradesh          |                7 |
| 13    | Jammu and Kashmir         |                3 |
| 14    | Jharkhand                 |                4 |
| 15    | Karnataka                 |               14 |
| 16    | Kerala                    |                6 |
| 17    | Ladakh                    |                1 |
| 18    | Madhya Pradesh            |                4 |
| 19    | Maharashtra               |               12 |
| 20    | Manipur                   |                1 |
| 21    | Meghalaya                 |                2 |
| 22    | Mizoram                   |                2 |
| 23    | Nagaland                  |                1 |
| 24    | Odisha                    |                9 |
| 25    | Punjab                    |                5 |
| 26    | Rajasthan                 |                5 |
| 27    | Sikkim                    |                1 |
| 28    | Tamil Nadu                |                6 |
| 29    | Telangana                 |                7 |
| 30    | Tripura                   |                1 |
| 31    | Uttar Pradesh             |                8 |
| 32    | Uttarakhand               |                3 |
| 33    | West Bengal               |               13 |
|       | Grand Total               |              153 |

Annexure-II

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (b) and (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5213 due for reply on 03.04.2023 regarding 'Setting up of Zoos'.

|   S. No. | Financial Year   | Proposal                                                                                                                                           | Action taken by CZA                                                                                                 |
|----------|------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | 2022-23          | Proposal for the establishment of Ratnagiri Zoological Park, Malgund, Maharashtra                                                                  | Proposal deliberated in the 106 th meeting of the Expert Group on Zoo Designing on December 20-21, 2022.            |
|        2 | 2021-22          | Proposal for the establishment Aurangabad Zoological Park, Mitmita, Aurangabad, Maharashtra                                                        | Prior approval for establishment under section 38H-1(A) of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 accorded on 17/12/2021. |
|        3 | 2020-21          | Proposal for the establishment of Chandrapur Tiger Safari and Rescue Centre (buffer area of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve), Chandrapur, Maharashtra | Prior approval for establishment under section 38H-1(A) of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 accorded on 17/12/2021. |
|        4 | 2019-20          | Proposal for the establishment of Narangi Bird Park, Narangi, Virar, Maharashtra                                                                   | Proposal deliberated in the 106th meeting of the Expert Group on Zoo Designing on December 20-21, 2022.             |