By Joymala BagchiNew Delhi [India], April 28 (ANI): With slaughterhouses shut during the lockdown and avaliability of red meat a scarce, Delhi Zoo is feeding its canine inmates with the meat of buffalo calves procured locally and slaughtered in the Zoo itself. Also, the zoo staff is arranging fodders for herbivores.The zoo has tigers, lions, leopards and jaguars that need 9-10 kgs of meat daily.Dr Suneesh Buxy, Director, Delhi Zoo told ANI, "Tigers, lions, leopards and jaguars housed in this zoo needs buffalo meat as their standard food. The daily consumption is of 9 to 10kg per animal which was procured from slaughterhouse before the lockdown."However Delhi zoo in a letter dated March 25 requested the Commissioner of East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) to permit the procurement of animals directly from the contractors. It also requested permission for slaughtering of the feed at the zoo premise itself.Buxy said, "It is the responsibility of the zoo to ensure appropriate food and drinking water to all animals including the carnivores. As lockdown continued with slaughterhouse remaining closed, Zoo management was left with no option but to arrange meat locally."Looking at the unprecedented situation for the first time ever arrangements for butchering of buffalo calf at the zoo, in a purely non-commercial manner, was made on a temporary basis."This move is definitely a vcalculated step to save the lives of the animals. The absence of proper food leads to stress and at times fatalities. This measure will continue till supply is restored from the slaughterhouse," he said. The allotted zoo staff daily goes to nearby villages with contractor to purchase a buffalo calf. The entire procedure takes a minimum of five to six hours daily.Before slaughtering in-house, veterinarians monitors the health of the animal and does necessary formalities as per precautionary principles of COVID-19.Later, the reminiscents of food served to the big cats is disposed in the incinerator.For everything, necessary permits have been obtained by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA)."Some NGO for the sake of publicity went to court and other forums against the slaughter also but they don't know how difficult is to arrange daily food," Buxy added. (ANI)

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