Ratiram to meet Agriculture Ministry division heads, expresses concern about zoo animals

AGRICULTURE Minister Ravi Ratiram says his ministry will review the proposal for the ongoing $56 million expansion project at the Emperor Valley Zoo, which includes a wine shop, bar and cinema, among other things.

Planned upgrades to the zoo were first announced in 2019.

The full works include a cinema/theatre, ice cream parlour, cutters bar, wine/coffee shop, restaurant, exhibition centre, conference/meeting rooms, offices, an information centre, shops, kiosks, a walk-through aquarium and an amphitheatre and a play area for children.

In October 2024, when he was an opposition MP, Ratiram had said the welfare of the animals should be the focus for any project at the zoo.

He raised the issue in Parliament and had also issued a press release.

The press release said he was "deeply concerned" about "the priorities of the government and its impact on animal welfare.

"While the ministry promises a lavish upgrade for visitor attractions...urgent improvements to animal enclosures remain overlooked."

He said the "misalignment of priorities" showed a "failure to understand the true essence of what a zoo should be – a sanctuary for animals and a place for education and conservation."

The $56 million, he added, should go towards "upgrading enclosures, improving habitats and ensuring the animals receive the care they deserve – not towards unnecessary structures that will only serve to distract from the fundamental purpose of the zoo."

Former agriculture minister Kazim Hosein had said for fiscal 2024, procurement delays led to the ministry only spending $100,000 of the $3.3 million allocated for repairs and maintenance at the zoo.

In a phone interview on May 7, Ratiram told Newsday he will meet with “various heads of divisions of agriculture,” including the Zoological Society, next week.

“In the past, we did, in fact, raise issues with how they treated the animals at the zoo.”

He referred to Jack, a red kangaroo who died at the zoo in May 2024, and whose death was only revealed in September 2024.

This was only done after months of Newsday asking zoo officials about the animal’s whereabouts.

Jack was removed from his enclosure in March 2024 after photos of him looking emaciated went viral on social media. He never returned.

“It was because of responsible reporting that this was able to be revealed,” Ratiram said.

He added, “So we will look at all those current projects to see how best we can provide a safe and comfortable environment for the animals and the visitors, especially children.

“We want to ensure the safety and security of visitors and provide an enjoyable experience that does not disturb the animals.”

He said he looks forward to meaningful conversations with officials from the zoo.

Also in 2024, zoo consultant John Seyjagat had slammed the expansion.

“And (in our plans) there was no bar, none of those things. It was meant to have a small kiosk that sells refreshments,” he had told Newsday in a phone interview.

However, the Zoological Society later sent out a press release saying Seyjagat “misrepresented its position.”

There was also an online petition to halt the project, which got over 41,000 signatures.

Since the new government was sworn in, many animal lovers took to social media to plead for better animal welfare laws.