The Gujarat government has disclosed in the state Assembly that 38 animals and birds, relocated from various states and countries, have perished at the Sardar Patel Zoological Park, commonly known as Jungle Safari, situated within the ‘Statue of Unity’ complex. Responding to an inquiry raised by Congress MLA Gulab Singh Chauhan from Lunawada, the government acknowledged on Tuesday that among the 295 animals and birds transferred from other regions, 38 had passed away over the past two years, up to December 31, 2023.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, while addressing the query, specified that the casualties included three out of five alpacas, one out of four wallabies, and multiple fatalities among other species like conures, pheasants, toucans, deer, monkeys, and a marsh crocodile. The government further revealed that over Rs 34 lakh had been expended on procuring and maintaining these exotic creatures within the stated timeframe. Earlier in March 2023, authorities had reported 12 fatalities among exotic animals and birds at the zoological park, with a total population of 940 animals and birds documented during the same period. Although the specific reasons behind the recent deaths were not delineated, previous explanations in March 2023 attributed them primarily to respiratory and cardio-pulmonary issues.
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