BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a wildlife conservationist. The petition sought directions to formulate and implement comprehensive safety protocols, risk assessment mechanisms, and a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the entry of zoo staff, veterinarians, zookeepers, and other personnel into animal enclosures.
The plea aimed to prevent and mitigate incidents resulting in injuries and fatalities. The court disposed of the petition after the counsel for the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) informed it that a committee of experts had been constituted to formulate an SOP. The counsel also submitted that the matter is currently under consideration by the authority.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice KS Hemalekha disposed of the petition. The petition had been filed by 24-year-old wildlife conservationist Bhuvan M. Bhuvan is currently pursuing an MSc in Applied Wildlife Conservation in UK university. He was represented in the case by his mother, Pushpalatha B, a resident of Mangaluru.
It was stated in the petition that the CZA, in response to the application filed under RTI, on April 20, 2026, has categorically stated that “No safety protocol document, risk assessment and SOP for staffs/veterinary/zookeeper to enter the animal enclosure for treatment, feeding, or any other necessary reason is issued by this authority”.
Citing the repeated incidents of death or injury including a trainee veterinarian who died in a hippo attack at Tyavarekoppa Tiger, the petitioner stated that the existing guidelines fall short of prescribing scientific and preventive safety standards.