July 23, 2025 —
A public interest litigation (PIL) filed in the Calcutta High Court has revealed that 321 animals have gone missing from Kolkata’s Alipore Zoological Gardens, sparking serious concerns over the zoo’s management and animal welfare practices. The court has directed the West Bengal government and zoo authorities to submit a detailed explanation within four weeks.
The petition, filed by the animal welfare organization People for Animals (PFA), claims that records obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act show major discrepancies in the zoo’s animal census. According to the PIL, the current inventory of animals is significantly lower than what had been documented earlier, raising suspicions of negligence or illegal wildlife trade.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam has taken cognizance of the matter and asked for a status report, including details on the procedures followed for animal record-keeping, accountability measures, and any instances of relocation or natural deaths. The court also sought clarification on whether due process had been followed while transferring any animals to other facilities.
“The disappearance of 321 animals is not only a matter of mismanagement but potentially a case of criminal negligence or trafficking,” said advocate Rajib Chatterjee, representing the petitioner. “Such a large number of unaccounted animals cannot be explained away casually.”
The Alipore Zoo, established in 1876, is one of the oldest zoological parks in India and a key attraction in Kolkata. It has historically housed several rare and endangered species. The PIL has brought to light growing concerns regarding outdated practices in zoo management and the urgent need for digitized animal tracking systems.
Zoo authorities, however, have denied any wrongdoing. A senior official stated that some discrepancies may have resulted from outdated documentation, animal deaths due to natural causes, or inter-zoo transfers under breeding programs. “We are fully cooperating with the investigation and are in the process of verifying all records,” the official added.
Wildlife conservationists and environmentalists have expressed serious concern over the incident. Many have called for a comprehensive audit of the zoo’s animal inventory and implementation of stricter monitoring protocols to prevent recurrence.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled in four weeks. The High Court has stated that if the explanations provided are found unsatisfactory, further legal action could be initiated.
