India, July 6 -- The city's iconic Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Garden and Zoo - better known as the Byculla Zoo or Victoria Gardens - has long drawn criticism over its ageing infrastructure and questionable animal welfare practices. But new data reveals a notable shift: animal deaths at India's oldest zoo have significantly declined over the past five years, suggesting that ongoing upgrades and reforms may finally be paying off.

Figures obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by activist Godfrey Pimenta show that annual animal deaths at the 162-year-old zoo dropped from 70 in 2019-20 to just 25 in 2024-25 - a 64% decrease over five years. (SEE BOX)

Spread across 22 hectares, the zoo currently houses 390 animals spanning...