Zebra pair new attraction in Vizag Zoological Park

Visakhapatnam: A new breed of zebra pair brought from Alipore Zoological Gardens, Kolkata are attracting the people to Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP) in the city.

The first-of-its-kind initiative in the Telugu-speaking states, the zebras were brought under the animal exchange programme and the visitors were showing more interest to watch the new guests.

IGZP is one of the most visited places in the city by children, families, students and others to have a look at the animals, birds and other species. The zoo is attracting thousands of visitors and tourists daily from various places to spend their weekends in a pleasant atmosphere.

Sharing various development activities of IGZP with The Hans India, zoo curator Yesoda Bai said they have about 806 animals and birds which includes carnivores, herbivores, primates, rodents, reptiles and aves, attracting a good number of visitors. She said there was a decline in the footfalls after enhancing the gate entry fee from Rs 25 to Rs 50 in 2018-19. Compared to previous years, in 2017-18, the visitors were 9.2 lakh and in 2018-19 it's 8.9 lakh. However, revenue was generated to the tune of Rs 5.2 crore through entry ticket fee for 2018-19 in comparison with the previous year that recorded Rs.4.8 crore revenue.

About the staff crunch, she said there was an acute shortage of animal keepers against the sanctioned number of 25, and only seven persons are working. There are 13 posts lying vacant in the work-charged employees. About 122 persons (outsourced) are engaged for various jobs including security services, landscaping, animal keeping, gardening, the curator added.

She said the zoo has several restoration works to be done since the cyclone Hudhud battered the coast in 2014 through the AP Disaster Recovery Project funded by World Bank. The restoration works includes enhancement of damaged environmental services and infrastructure facilities in the Park will be augmented on par with international standards (as per IUCN'S ex-situ conservation guidelines) with an estimated cost of Rs.36 crore.

The zoo has proposed restoration of animal areas to improve night and day house facilities of zoo inmates, said curator Yesoda Bai.