Tragic Encounter: Hippopotamus Fatally Attacks Beloved Birsa Zoo Caretaker in Ranchi; Urgent Probe Launched
Santosh Kumar Mahto, a 54-year-old caretaker at Ranchi’s Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park, succumbed to his injuries on Sunday following an attack by a hippopotamus. The incident occurred on Friday when Mahto reportedly entered the enclosure to relocate a newborn calf. The mother hippopotamus, in a protective move, critically injured Mahto. He was treated at a private hospital, but unfortunately, he did not survive.
An official investigation into the incident has been launched. Jabbar Singh, the zoo director, conveyed that a compensation proposal of ₹20 lakh will be sent to the state government as Mahto was on duty. Additionally, Mahto’s family will receive ₹4 lakh as mandated compensation for deaths caused by wild animal attacks. Singh also stated that the zoo covered all medical expenses and efforts are underway to secure employment for a member of Mahto’s family.
In response to the incident, zoo caretakers protested by shutting down the main gate. The zoo employs around 112 caretakers, both casual and permanent.
This tragic event echoes similar incidents in recent history. In December 2023, a caretaker at Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden in Lucknow was fatally attacked by a hippopotamus while cleaning its enclosure. Earlier in March 2023, in Vadodara’s zoo, a curator and a security supervisor sustained severe injuries from a hippopotamus attack. Notably, the Vadodara zoo houses a hippopotamus named Dimpy, who had previously killed her male mate.
These recurrent attacks raise significant concerns regarding the safety protocols in zoo environments for handling potentially dangerous animals.
Original Story https://www.livemint.com/news/india/hippopotamus-fatally-attacks-ranchis-birsa-zoo-caretaker-probe-ordered-11722176124703.html
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