the Central Zoo Authority (cza) has asked 64 mini zoos and deer parks in the country to close down with immediate effect. The zoos are located in Kota, Bikaner, Haryana, Punjab and Northeast.

"The conditions of these zoos is appaling, therefore, we ordered for their immediate closure,' said cza member secretary P R Sinha. "We have asked the state governments to shift the carnivorous animals to some other zoos that have space. The herbivorous animals can be shifted or freed,' added Sinha.

The authority has also asked some zoos to relocate at places where the animals can get a proper habitat. These include zoos of Pune, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Surat, Vododara and Andaman and Nicobar islands. "Almost all the zoo animals face threat due to degrading habitat. To save them, the zoos should be modernised,' said Pushp Kumar, a leading zoo designer.