May 30, 2009 Mumbai : Dolpin Aquarium, the animal park at Vile Parle, will have new visitors on Saturday. The anti-poaching unit of the wildlife department will be there to take a close look at the park, under the scanner for keeping wildlife including feral cats, ducks, eagles, turtles and squirrels without proper permission.
The park was developed on a dumping ground in 2005. A former MLA is said to have funded the park. The owners claim it is a treatment centre for rescued animals.
Visitors are charged Rs 10 for entry; the park also has a boating pond filled with fish and duck. Small animals are kept in cages, they said.
A forest official said, “The centre claims to be treating injured animals. Karuna, an NGO, has said they handed over several rescued animals to the park. If the fault of the park is based on ignorance, we will advise them on corrective measures like informing our department within 24 hours of receiving an injured animal.”
However, officials said any decision could be taken only after they visit the park and monitor the health of the animals.
Recently, NGO Plant and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Mumbai, complained to the forest department about wildlife being caged at the park without permission.
Member Secretary, PAWS, Sunish Subramaniam, said, “We have often visited the centre and found scales of large lizards there. It is illegal. Wildlife body parts should be handed over to the forest department. However, the aquarium representatives now deny that they possess them.”
Subramanian said the park cannot keep animals without the Central Zoo Authority’s permission.
Manager of Dolphin Aquarium, Owen Misquitta, said that till recently they were not aware that forest department permission was mandatory. “We have for long been treating and releasing animals and have records of animals given treatment. Qualified vets treat them.”
Misquitta claimed that they never possessed lizard skin or turtle shells but only scales shed naturally by snakes. He added that the Rs 10 fee was for a stroll in the garden and not for seeing the animals.
About Pics : A squirrel at the park; an NGO had complained of wildlife in cages without permission
