Wildlife deaths shows shortage of trained veterinarians in Karnataka zoos
Davangere: Recent deaths of wild animals in zoos across Karnataka, including in Davangere, Belagavi and Mangaluru, have exposed a shortage of trained wildlife veterinarians in facilities run by the Zoo Authority of Karnataka, raising concerns over preparedness and institutional support for animal care.
A detailed report published by Deccan Herald says that across the state’s zoos, 13 veterinarian posts are sanctioned, but only two are held by Forest Department employees. Eleven positions are currently filled by officers deputed from the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Department or hired on contract, while posts remain vacant at Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens in Mysuru and Bannerghatta Biological Park in Bengaluru.
According to the report, veterinary officers on deputation frequently lack proper wildlife treatment training. They also have had limited exposure to wild animals during their academic years. Veterinarians told DH that they are viewed as outsiders within the forest administration, which hinders coordination and field reaction.
The state government has reportedly agreed in principle to create a dedicated cadre of wildlife veterinarians, a move expected to improve morale and provide logistical support such as separate vehicles and treatment facilities. Zoo-Cum-Safari executive director Amarakshara MV told DH that there is an acute shortage of trained professionals and limited opportunities for veterinary students to gain hands-on wildlife experience. He urged colleges to extend zoo internships and strengthen training in wildlife ecology and treatment.
Shivamogga zoo veterinary officer Murali Manohar told DH that he had spent only a week in a zoo during his internship and had to rely on self-learning and field visits to understand wildlife behaviour. He also flagged delays in rescue operations due to the lack of dedicated transport for veterinarians, which can prove fatal when animals are trapped in snares.
DH further quoted Zoo Authority of Karnataka member secretary Sunil Panwar, who acknowledged the shortage of veterinary. He added that though all major zoos have veterinary officers, mini zoos consulting local veterinarians during emergencies.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Trouble ‘Miyas’ everywhere only then they will leave Assam: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Says “Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP are openly against them, we are saying it openly
New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that four to five lakh “Miya voters” would be removed from the electoral rolls in the state once the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists is carried out. He also made a series of controversial remarks openly targeting the Miya community, a term commonly used in Assam in a derogatory sense to refer to Bengali-speaking Muslims.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an official programme in Digboi in Tinsukia district, Sarma said it was his responsibility to create difficulties for the Miya community and claimed that both he and the BJP were “directly against Miyas”.
“Four to five lakh Miya votes will have to be deleted in Assam when the SIR happens,” Sarma said, adding that such voters “should ideally not be allowed to vote in Assam, but in Bangladesh”. He asserted that the government was ensuring that they would not be able to vote in the state.
The chief minister was responding to questions about notices issued to thousands of Bengali-speaking Muslims during the claims and objections phase of the ongoing Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls in Assam. While the Election Commission is conducting SIR exercises in 12 states and Union Territories, Assam is currently undergoing an SR, which is usually meant for routine updates.
Calling the current SR “preliminary”, Sarma said that a full-fledged SIR in Assam would lead to large-scale deletion of Miya voters. He said he was unconcerned about criticism from opposition parties over the issue.
“Let the Congress abuse me as much as they want. My job is to make the Miya people suffer,” Sarma said. He claimed that complaints filed against members of the community were done on his instructions and that he had encouraged BJP workers to keep filing complaints.
“I have told people wherever possible they should fill Form 7 so that they have to run around a little and are troubled,” he said, adding that such actions were meant to send a message that “the Assamese people are still living”.
In remarks that drew further outrage, Sarma urged people to trouble members of the Miya community in everyday life, claiming that “only if they face troubles will they leave Assam”. He also accused the media of sympathising with the community and warned journalists against such coverage.
“So you all should also trouble, and you should not do news that sympathise with them. There will be love jihad in your own house.” He said.
The comments triggered reactions from opposition leaders. Raijor Dal president and MLA Akhil Gogoi said the people of Assam had not elected Sarma to keep one community under constant pressure. Congress leader Aman Wadud accused the chief minister of rendering the Constitution meaningless in the state, saying his remarks showed a complete disregard for constitutional values.
According to the draft electoral rolls published on December 27, Assam currently has 2.51 crore voters. Election officials said 4.78 lakh names were marked as deceased, 5.23 lakh as having shifted, and 53,619 duplicate entries were removed during the revision process. Authorities also claimed that verification had been completed for over 61 lakh households.
On January 25, six opposition parties the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad, CPI, CPI(M) and CPI(M-L) submitted a memorandum to the state’s chief electoral officer. They alleged widespread legal violations, political interference and selective targeting of genuine voters during the SR exercise, describing it as arbitrary, unlawful and unconstitutional.
