
50 animal births & 25 deaths at Byculla zoo between Apr '24 and Mar '25: RTI
Among the 50 births, additions included three Humboldt penguin chicks (two males and a female), 12 cockatiels, and several spotted and barking deer. The zoo also reported births of Rhesus macaques, Indian flapshell turtles, and a painted stork chick during the year.
On the other hand, the 25 recorded deaths include six spotted deer, three Indian flapshell turtles, two budgerigars, and individual losses of larger species — sambar deer, an elephant, and a striped hyena.
The zoo also lost a newborn painted stork chick in the same period.
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The data is part of a larger six-year report of animal births and deaths at the zoo sought by Pimenta under RTI, showing long-term trends in zoo animal health and breeding success. Between 2019 and 2025, Byculla zoo recorded 286 animal births and 275 deaths. The worst period was year 2020–21, when the zoo recorded 14 births against 59 deaths, which could be due to pandemic-related challenges.
A senior BMC official said works are ongoing to ensure improved animal welfare at all levels, which can be seen in the number of visitors. In the past five years, over 1 crore have visited the facility, shows civic data.
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