Llamas, zebras, wallabies: They could not survive at the Statue of Unity jungle safari, admits Gujarat

Exotic animals that the Gujarat government imported from South America, Africa and Australia to the jungle safari park at the Statue of Unity near Bharuch have not been able to survive in their new home. The government revealed that as many as 53 of the 163 animals, including two zebras and two llamas, have died, in response to a question in the state Assembly. 

The government imported zebras, llamas, wallabies, oryxes and a few others. Other animals were brought to the Statue from different states of India. The animals were brought at an expense of Rs 5.47 crore over three years between 2019 and 2021.

According to the data, 36 per cent of the animals brought from outside have not survived. The weather and change in ecology for these animals and birds is being seen as an important factor in their deaths.

The Statue of Unity is the world’s tallest statue, measuring 597 feet. It has been built on an island in the Narmada river at the Kevadia Colony and faces the Sardar Sarovar Dam in the Narmada district of Gujarat. It was the pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who inaugurated it on October 31, 2018.

Among the reasons for their deaths cited in the statement, the zebra died due to respiratory failure and gastroenteritis, the alpacas and llamas died due to asphyxia, the marmoset due to hypovolemic shock and lemur due to respiratory and circulatory failure.

Sources in the forest department observing the development of the jungle park safari at the Statue have confided that this project materialised at breakneck speed and animals were brought here amid tearing haste.

The Statue of Unity in Gujarat. Photo- iStock

‘Simply put, these animals have died as they could not adjust to the environment here and / or the right kind of care wasn’t available,’ they said.

Over the last few years, animal rights activists have raised these issues with the forest department, but to no avail. Since the Statue is being showcased as a national monument of importance to attract attention to the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, all development here has been on fast track, the sources added.

These deaths, an Ahmedabad-based activist said, is the proverbial tip of the iceberg.

‘We have repeatedly told the forest officials handling these animals that translocation of such exotic species, even in a controlled environment, needs to be studied and understood in depth. We haven’t done it with sufficient preparation. These deaths were expected,’ a senior animal activist said.