Forest Minister Ramanath Rai has assured the Legislative Council that appropriate measures will be taken for conserving animals in Mysore Zoo.

The Minister was replying to a question by JD(S) MLC Sandesh Nagaraj on the death of Zoo animals, closure of zoo and a host of other zoo related issues.

Sandesh Nagaraj alleged that Mysore Zoo was closed for a month as the authorities failed to take measures to tackle bird flu despite warnings and added that the Zoo was closed for the first time in 124 years.

Replying to the MLC’s allegations, the Minister said that the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) after taking note of bird flu in Delhi Zoo, had alerted all Zoo’s to take precautionary measures in Oct. 2016.  The Mysuru Zoo was closed for a month from Jan.4, 2017 to Feb.2, 2017 following the CZA’s direction and an advisory from experts of the State, he said and added that the Zoo re-opened on Feb.3.

He further said that all necessary precautionary measures such as Bio-security, Foot dips, spraying of disinfectants and water drying, have been taken to ensure that there will be no bird flu threats in the future.