(a)the total number of zoos in the country, State-wise;
(b)whether the Government has any proposal for formulation of a grading system to evaluate the performance of the zoos in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
(c)the steps taken so far by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)
(a) Sir, total number of Zoos in the country, state-wise are annexed at Annexure – I.
(b) Central Zoo Authority has formulated grading system to evaluate the performance of zoos based on ten parameters namely(i) Development & Planning; (ii)Maintaining naturalistic environment;(iii) State of animal housing & animal exhibits; (iv) Performance of zoos with regards to establishment of sustainable population; (v) Status of human resources; (vi) Animal health care; (vii) Sanitation & hygiene; (viii) Conservation breeding programme and the progress made in this regard, research; (ix) Education & interpretation and (x) Visitors’ facility respectively with an allotment of 10 marks for each of them. The following measurable indices were used to grade the performance of Zoos:
S.No. Category Score
1 Excellent 75 and above
2 Very good 60-74
3 Good 45-59
4 Fair 25-44
(c) The evaluation of eleven large category zoos was conducted during 2013-14by a 5 members team of experts from various aspects of Zoo managementout of which four zoos were found very good, three were good and rest four fair. Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, Mysuruscored maximum 69.5 points followed by Nandankanan Biological Park, Bhubaneswar with 68.5 points and Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Chennai with 66 points.
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