Zoo registers record footfalls

Visakhapatnam: For the first time in its four decades history, Indira Gandhi Zoological Park has registered nine lakh footfalls during the past 11 months in the present fiscal, surpassing its last year’s record level visitors of 8.5 lakh. 

The zoo park was badly affected during the Hudhud cyclone in 2014. However, the authorities almost reconstructed the zoo on a brisk pace. Visakhapatnam Zoo, which is located close to the Bay of Bengal blessed with natural beauty.

The zoo park is surrounded by Kambalakonda and Sitakonda reserve forest and sheltering birds, mammals, reptiles and animals. The management also procured 10 battery operated vehicles for a hassle-free visit of the entire park. Purified drinking water and naturally designed shelters, tents refreshment stalls were set up across the zoo.  

Considering highest number of visitors during the summer vacation, the zoo authorities have been gearing up to provide shades not only to the wild guests, but also to the visitors. As the IMD predicting that the temperatures would be very high in the summer, the zoo authorities also making supplements, including varieties of fruits, dry fruits, vitamin B and C supplements and glucose and ORS for the animals.

“During the last year summer, the air coolers have been arranged for chimpanzees, tigers and lions. This year we are arranging the facilities to more number of guests, including birds. Over 30 air coolers will be put up in animal enclosures in addition to the water sprinklers and palm leave sheds,” Curator of the zoo B Vijaya Kumar said.

The visitors are also expressing their happiness over the arrangements and facilities in the zoo. G Srikanth and his family members from Hyderabad, who visited the zoo park on Wednesday, said that the animals at Hyderabad zoo are old and lazy, the animals  in Vizag zoo are young and active. The maintenance of the zoo park is also good, they complimented.

The planning and execution of enclosures for various species of animals is praiseworthy. One can witness minor carnivores like wild dogs, hyenas, snakes and crocodiles, painted storks, rhinos, hippos, chimpanzees, lemur, deers, giraffes during their visit to zoo, they added.

By Phani Suni