After Blackbuck deaths, threat for painted storks in Delhi Zoo
Even as deaths of Blackbucks due to consumption of polluted water continue unabated in Delhi Zoo, sewage discharged from a nearby drain to a water body in its premises poses a similar threat to some of its other inhabitants -- endangered birds such as painted storks.
A two-member team set up by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) during the evaluation of Delhi Zoo has found that it was plagued by a plethora of problems with poor sewage system being the major one, claiming the lives of over 32 Blackbucks in the past 15 days.
Warning that a similar fate awaits the endangered birds, the team said in its report, "an open drain with stinking liquid waste coming from nearby human habitat in Sundernagar (nearby colony) is passing through the Zoo and falling into the moat of aviary meant for adjunct stork and free-living painted storks in beat no 12-15."
Broad-winged painted storks as well as other local winged creatures usually nestle in and around the trees along the water body and the contaminated water may pose health problems for them in the long run.
The team comprising veterinarian L N Acharjyo and CZA (evaluation and monitoring) officer B K Gupta which visited the Zoo in August have also pointed out the lack of provision to remove rainwater from dry moats which created unhealthy atmosphere for the Blackbucks.
The team has sought periodic actions to drain out the stagnant water from both the wet and dry moats and expressed its concerns that the feed to the Blackbucks was given on cemented floor without any shade.
"The feeding and rearing cells in many enclosures are full of unused damaged materials which should be removed," said the report. The team also found that most of the housing facilities were in a bad shape with broken roof and walls and loose electricity fitting which needed immediate renovation.
