Delhi National Zoological Park National Zoological Park (New Delhi)

Tbh, when I went to the Delhi Zoo in 2011, I found it a quite miserable experience with many animals kept in what were clearly run-down enclosures, small cages, etc.

I also vividly remembered the elephants being chained, something that should not be a thing in any 21st century zoo.
 
It is a sadly common practice in India, every zoo I've been to in the country chains their elephants.


Contact less management of elephants seems to be non existent or in its infancy here right now.
That's why you'll find many incidents online of elephants killing or injuring their mahouts

Bannerghatta biological park seems to be a bit better in this case, their elephants are managed semi-captively (almost all except a few youngsters who are kept in the zoo to be trained, are kept in the safari area) and are only chained or kept in their enclosure during the visiting hours of the zoo and are set free to roam in the surrounding forest afterwards.

This is only possible in the case of this particular zoo because it happens to be situated right next to a forest ( the bannerghatta nationa park), but for most other Indian zoos that are surrounded by urban settlements this is not possible
 
A rather sobering piece of news on a recent death at the zoo:
Last September 2024 the National Zoo acquired a bull rhino in an animal exchange deal with the Assam State Zoo. This individual male was destined to be bred with the young daughter of breeding cow Maheswari (b. 1997 and who herself was transferred to Assam State Zoo on breeding loan), Anjuha (born 2005 in Delhi).

However, once more the National Zoo has caught the wrong sight of the spotlight. The bull rhino passed away just short of the New year ... on 28th December 2024 (and it only spend like just over 3 months here after arriving from Assam State Zoo, it is simply too ridiculoos and preposterous to even reflect upon). So all hopes of breeding Indian GOH rhino once more at Delhi Zoo have been squashed (and I dare say squandered ....).

SOURCE: Rhino dies at zoo days after 9-mth-old white tiger’s demise | Delhi News - Times of India


POST SCRIPTUM: It has not been the first time a high profile rhino passed away at the zoo and the management seems unable to provide basic husbandry care to its rarest inhabitants. TBH, I do no longer see any other option than that new management needs to be brought in and the CZA completely overhauled where it comes to the National Zoo in terms of animal husbandry, welfare, enclosure design and technical back-up and curatorial management. It is just put simply ... a load of horseshit.
 
A much loved male African elephant named Shankar aged 29 years old has died. He was refusing food on Wednesday and collapsed by the evening. Despite the efforts from vets, he died within 40 minutes. For 24 years, Shankar endured a lonely existence, spending 13 years in the equivalent of solitary confinement. He arrived with another male elephant in 1998 from Zimbabwe. His companion died in 2001. The zoo tried to lodge him with Asian elephants,but this failed. For years, he had been the subject of campaigning by activists to have him moved to a African elephant sanctuary. He lived alone and died alone, a very sad story....BBC news item
 
Strathmorezoo said:
A much loved male African elephant named Shankar aged 29 years old has died. He was refusing food on Wednesday and collapsed by the evening. Despite the efforts from vets, he died within 40 minutes. For 24 years, Shankar endured a lonely existence, spending 13 years in the equivalent of solitary confinement. He arrived with another male elephant in 1998 from Zimbabwe. His companion died in 2001. The zoo tried to lodge him with Asian elephants,but this failed. For years, he had been the subject of campaigning by activists to have him moved to a African elephant sanctuary. He lived alone and died alone, a very sad story....BBC news item
Click to expand...
He was an impressive beast. I remember when he used to be confined to the stables in the Asiatic elephant paddock. Luckily, he was moved to a far larger enclosure with much greenery.
 
Strathmorezoo said:
A much loved male African elephant named Shankar aged 29 years old has died. He was refusing food on Wednesday and collapsed by the evening. Despite the efforts from vets, he died within 40 minutes. For 24 years, Shankar endured a lonely existence, spending 13 years in the equivalent of solitary confinement. He arrived with another male elephant in 1998 from Zimbabwe. His companion died in 2001. The zoo tried to lodge him with Asian elephants,but this failed. For years, he had been the subject of campaigning by activists to have him moved to a African elephant sanctuary. He lived alone and died alone, a very sad story....BBC news item
Click to expand...
A post mortem on Shankar reveals that he tested positive for Encephalomycarditis virus ,which can affect the heart and brain. It is spread via rodent faeces and urine.
 
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