Alipore Zoological Gardens

Kolkata, West Bengal
February 2006

• Nearly all the enclosures were small and barren and had no enrichment.
• No clean water or fresh food was observed in the enclosures.
• Garbage bins throughout the zoo were overflowing, and many of the enclosures contained piles of decomposing rubbish.
• The moats in many of the enclosures were filthy and filled with debris. The water in the crocodile enclosure was stagnant and had duck weed growing in it.

• There were no guards to protect the animals from being teased and harassed. On the day of our inspection, visitors were observed banging on the mesh of the lion and tiger enclosure and making hooting noises to get their attention.
• Stray cats and dogs roamed throughout the zoo.
• The deer enclosure was full of flies who swarmed all over the animals. The deer also appeared to be traumatised by the noise from a busy nearby road.
• There was an open-air restaurant in front of the hippo enclosure. Vendors sold food throughout the zoo, and visitors were observed feeding animals.
• The elephants were very thin. On the day our investigator was there, they appeared hungry and were seen begging for food from the keeper, who did not feed them.
• The bears had very long nails because there was nothing in the barren, ramshackle enclosure to help the bears wear them down.
• A lone zebra was kept in the zoo.

The water for the birds is too dirty to drink or bathe in, and the amount of leaf matter reveals how long it has not been cleaned.

There is a pile of decomposing garbage on the zoo grounds, near the deer enclosure.

This elephant, like all the other elephants in this zoo, is extremely thin. There is no food or water in this enclosure.

This bear’s nails are far too long. They are very uncomfortable for the bear and must be clipped, as his bare enclosure provides no means to wear them down himself.

This is the enclosure for the single zebra.