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Vizag zoo springs back to life
The Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, which suffered massive damage in the October 12 Hudhud cyclone, is slowly recouping attracting more visitors by each passing day. There was heavy damage to its green cover and several animals were either dead or disappeared in the nature’s fury. As a result, the number of visitors fell drastically.
Indira Gandhi Zoological Park incurred loss of 50 lakh due to cyclone
Visakhapatnam: The Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, which suffered massive damage in the October 12 Hudhud cyclone, is slowly recouping attracting more visitors by each passing day. There was heavy damage to its green cover and several animals were either dead or disappeared in the nature’s fury. As a result, the number of visitors fell drastically.
However, in order to get back the visitors, the zoo authorities are now adding new animals. According to zoo curator G Ramalingam, the new arrivals include two chimpanzees - one male and one female - Olive Baboons and Brown Lemurs from Taiwan, a pair of Pigmy Hippos and fishing cats from Colombo Zoo in exchange for Asiatic lions and wild dogs.
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“We are awaiting Central Zoo Authority’s approval and probably get these animals by second week of January next year before the peak season ends,” Ramalingam said. He said the recent additions Sacred Baboons and giraffe had been attracting visitors but the number was reduced drastically.
The cyclone havoc uprooted 60 per cent of trees, a kilometre-long compound wall. The speed winds blew off two aviaries and killed four black bucks, three mountain goats and one barking deer. More than the wind, the terrifying sound killed the animals, he said. The curator said around 16 lakh people visited in the month of November last year, 23 lakh in December and 30 lakh in January earning revenue of `1.5 crore in 2013.
But this year only three lakh people visited in November and the zoo authorities are expecting 4.5 lakh in December. The number might be little over seven lakh by January next, he added. “This year earning will be close to `1 crore and we cannot expect more than that,”' Ramalingam said. The Central Zoo Authority has sanctioned `2.5 crore for the compound wall and reconstruction of aviaries. The State government will provide a matching grant of another `2.5 crore.
By: KMP Patnaik
