Conservationist urges CZA to issue national safety norms for zoo staff

Mangaluru: Mangaluru: Wildlife conservationist Bhuvan M has urged Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to frame and implement uniform safety and risk‑assessment guidelines for zookeepers and veterinary personnel across the country, citing the absence of standardised safety protocols in Indian zoos.

In a representation to the CZA, Bhuvan referred to 17 incidents reported since 2012 involving zoo personnel across India, including the recent death of a trainee veterinarian in a hippopotamus attack. Stressing the need for standardised safety measures, he called for clear emergency response procedures and mandatory training systems for zoo employees. He said many injury incidents go under‑reported.

The representation highlighted the growing occupational risks faced by veterinarians, animal keepers, rescue teams and frontline zoo staff while handling wild animals under stressful and hazardous conditions. It sought the implementation of a comprehensive national safety policy for zoo personnel, including mandatory safety protocols, emergency response systems, regular training, adequate protective equipment, mental health support, insurance coverage and accountability mechanisms.

Bhuvan said a review of publicly reported incidents revealed a recurring pattern of zoo personnel entering enclosures without proper safeguards, lack of supervision and protocol‑based clearance, absence of animal isolation mechanisms before entry, and inadequate training and emergency preparedness.

He noted that in the absence of a centralised and mandatory safety framework issued by the CZA, individual zoo authorities are left to devise their own safety measures, often without adequate technical expertise. This, he said, has resulted in inconsistent and inadequate safety practices, exposing zoo personnel to significant risks arising from unpredictable animal behaviour.

Bhuvan raised the issue based on an RTI reply received from the CZA, through which he had sought certified copies of safety protocol documents and other related standard operating procedures governing entry into animal enclosures.