Kerala - Kochi   

Mini zoo at Kodanad may be shifted soon

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The mini zoo at Kodanad is vying for more space. If the plans of the State Forest Department materialise, it may be shifted to a more convenient location. Paucity of funds is what prevents the Forest Department from implementing the plans.

The mini zoo located on the banks of River Periyar has been attracting visitors in large numbers. However, the Forest Department had been under pressure to move the zoo to some spacious area as it lacked sufficient space and other requirements as laid down by the Central Zoo Authority.

The Forest Department had identified a suitable location for the park at Kaprikad, which was two kilometres away from the present location.

It would require anything between Rs.75 lakh and Rs.1 crore for shifting the zoo.

It was the paucity of funds that was preventing the shifting of the zoo, said Deepak Misra, Divisional Forest Officer, Malayattoor division.

The Forest officials were banking on the offer made by Saju Paul, MLA, from his MLA fund and other sources. Mr. Misra hoped that the State Tourism Department would be able to support the venture by shelling out money from the funds earmarked for the eco-tourism projects.

The zoo houses large numbers of deer including spotted deer and Sambar deer, wild squirrel varieties, parakeets, toddy cats, crocodiles and snakes, says N.R. Ram Mohan, Range Officer, Kodanad.

Elephant kraal the key attraction of the zoo. It has seven elephants including the six-month-old cub elephant of 35-year-old Sunita. Visitors, including foreigners, reach the park during the morning hours to witness the bathing and feeding of elephants. Many also opt for elephant rides. Some others use the opportunity to click a few pictures with the elephants, says Mr. Ram Mohan.

The animals that are confiscated and rescued by the Forest officials are usually kept at the Animal Rescue centre attached to the zoo. The zoo authorities have also been toying with the idea of releasing some of the Sambar deer, which are housed in the zoo, to the forest as the population of the deer have exceeded the capacity of the park.

A decision on shifting of the park would be taken at a meeting convened by the Chief Wildlife Warden in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday.

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