Central Zoo Authority
Wildlife of India |
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Agency overview | |
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Formed | 1992 |
Jurisdiction | India |
Headquarters | Delhi, India |
Parent department | Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change |
The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) is the body of the Government of India responsible for oversight of zoos.[1] It is an affiliate member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).[2]
The CZA was formed to bring Indian zoos up to international standards. Before the CZA was formed, many zoos were poorly managed, with unsuitable animal enclosures and little or no breeding records of animals, which caused inbreeding and hybridization (genetic pollution, as in one case where an Asiatic lion were cross-bred with an African lion).
The Central Zoo Authority has been constituted under the section 38A of Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972. The Authority consists of a Chairman, ten members and a Member Secretary. The main objective of the authority is to complement the national effort in conservation of wild life. Standards and norms for housing, upkeep, health care and overall management of animals in zoos has been laid down under the Recognition of Zoo Rules, 1992. Every zoo in the country is required to obtain recognition from the Authority for its operation. The Authority evaluates the zoos with reference to the parameters prescribed under the Rules and grants recognition accordingly. Zoos which have no potential to come up to the prescribed standards and norms may be refused recognition and asked to close down.
Since its inception in 1992, the Authority has evaluated 347 zoos, out of which 164 have been recognised and 183 refused recognition. Out of 183 zoos refused recognition, 92 have been closed down and their animals relocated suitably. Cases of the remaining 91 non-recognised zoos are currently under review. The Authority’s role is more of a facilitator than a regulator. It, therefore, provides technical and financial assistance to such zoos which have the potential to attain the desired standard in animal management. Only such captive facilities which have neither the managerial skills nor the requisite resources are asked to close down.
Apart from the primary function of grant of recognition and release of financial assistance, the Central Zoo Authority also regulates the exchange of animals of endangered category Listed under Schedule-I and II of the Wildlife Protection Act among zoos. Exchange of animals between Indian and foreign zoos is also approved by the Authority before the requisite clearances under EXIM Policy and the CITES permits are issued by the competent authority.
The Authority also coordinates and implements programmes on capacity building of zoo personnel, planned breeding programmes and ex situ research including biotechnological intervention for conservation of species for complementing in-situ conservation efforts in the country. Some of the major initiatives undertaken by the Authority since its inception include establishment of a laboratory for conservation of endangered species at Hyderabad for carrying out research in biotechnology, planned breeding of red panda and its restocking into the wild, upgrading diagnostic facilities for disease diagnosis at selected veterinary institutions and their networking with zoos on regional basis for better health care of animals.
See also
[edit]- List of Botanical Gardens in India and the "Indian portion" of the international List of botanical gardens
- List of zoos in India
- Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species
Notes
[edit]- ^ Walker, Sally (August 2004). "Central Zoo Authority and Indian Zoos: A Current Overview" (PDF). zoosprint.org. ZoosPrint. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
- ^ "Members". waza.org. WAZA. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- "The official List of Animals at individual Zoos in India", this list is maintained by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA). Most zoos in India still do not have a website of their own.
- Andaman & Nicobar Islands Forest and Plantation Development Corporation
- Animal Welfare Board of India
- Botanical Survey of India
- Central Pollution Control Board
- Environmental Information System
- Odisha State Pollution Control Board
- Delhi Pollution Control Committee
- Directorate of Forest Education
- Forest Survey of India
- Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy
- National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board
- National Board of Wildlife
- National Institute of Animal Welfare
- National Museum of Natural History
- National Zoological Park
- Zoological Survey of India
- Wildlife Crime Control Bureau
- Centre for Environment Education
- C. P. R. Environmental Education Centre, Chennai
- Centre for Animals and Environment, Bangalore
- Centre of Excellence in Environmental Economics, Chennai
- Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Bangalore
- Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystem, Delhi
- Centre for Mining Environment, Dhanbad
- Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History
- Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute
- National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management
- G. B.Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Almora
- Indian Institute of Forest Management
- Indian Plywood Industries Research and Training Institute, Bengaluru
- Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education
- Wildlife Institute of India
- CK Mishra (incumbent)
- Rajiv Gandhi
- Bhajan Lal
- Ziaur Rahman Ansari(As MoS, IC till 25 June 1988)
- V. P. Singh
- Nilamani Routray
- Maneka Gandhi(MoS, IC)
- Kamal Nath (MoS, IC)
- Rajesh Pilot (MoS, IC)
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee
- Jai Narain Prasad Nishad
- Saifuddin Soz
- H. D. Deve Gowda I. K. Gujral
- Suresh Prabhu
- T. R. Baalu
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee
- Ramesh Bais
- A. Raja
- Manmohan Singh
- Jairam Ramesh(MoS, IC)
- Jayanthi Natarajan(MoS, IC)
- M. Veerappa Moily
- Prakash Javdekar(MoS, IC)
- Anil Madhav Dave(MoS, IC)
- Dr. Harsh Vardhan
- Prakash Javdekar (incumbent)
- Mahesh Sharma
- Babul Supriyo (incumbent)