The Global Alliance of Zoos and Aquariums on Monday suspended the membership of the National Zoological Park in Delhi over concerns over the welfare of Shankar, an African elephant who was allegedly kept in chains.
Delhi Zoo Director Sanjeet Kumar said action will be taken as deemed fit and a compliance report will be sent after examining the letter. “Currently, Shankar is roaming freely in his enclosure without any chains,” he said. Zimbabwe presented an elephant to the then Indian President Shankar Dayal Sharma in 1996. It was brought to India and kept at the Delhi Zoo.
Shankar was left alone after his companion, another African elephant named Bambai, died in 2005. The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), in a letter to Kumar and the Union Environment Ministry’s Central Zoo Authority, said it had sought the information earlier. from them regarding the welfare of the elephant and received replies on 24 May and 24 July.
Environment Ministry officials said CZA has a framework for animal welfare assessment programs and this is in the process of being harmonized with WAZA approved standards. The mutual evaluation is ongoing and the ČZA will meet the deadline of November 30, they said.
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WAZA President Karen Fifield wrote in the letter that to lift the suspension, the zoo must develop a plan within six months to either relocate Shankar to a new facility or comprehensively address all concerns about his management and care. This plan must be approved by WAZA and must show significant improvement in Shankar’s well-being, the paper said. If relocation is chosen, Shankar should be trained for the move using positive reinforcement techniques to minimize stress and ensure a smooth transition, WAZA said.
The letter warned that the zoo’s membership would be permanently terminated unless WAZA had an approved plan to relocate Shankar or resolve the issues by April 7, 2025.
During the suspension, the zoo will lose all WAZA membership rights and benefits, such as conference attendance and committee participation. The letter said the zoo has the option to appeal the decision in writing to the WAZA president within 60 days, but the suspension will remain in effect during the appeal process. Founded in 1935, WAZA promotes high standards of animal welfare and their habitats around the world. Almost 400 leading institutions and organizations are its members.
