Rani Baug as it’s popularly known, has been in the news over the last decade for all the wrong reasons. The death of several animals, particularly deer due to ingesting plastic bottles, caps thrown by visitors; the inability to get a mate for Shiva, the sole Rhinoceros at the zoo, the death of the only tiger in the premises and the sordid state of affairs during the sweltering heat of the summers have only worsened the situation. Oh yes, and four kangaroos, presents from Australia, died here as well.

There’s a lot of talk about modernisation and a revamp of sorts that will secure the state of the rare and endangered but it’s far from being actualised. Till then, the animals and birds simplydwindle and developers eye the land, slavering with greed,