The Hindu : Front Page : Kavundampalayam to get zoo

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Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008
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Kavundampalayam to get zoo

V.S. Palaniappan

Erstwhile compost yard at Kavundamapalayam will be levelled with debris
The authorities plan to have natural animal enclosures and moats for birds

Coimbatore: Coimbatore will soon get a spacious zoological park with the rich flora and fauna of the Nilgiris. This will be a replica of the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve (NBR).

Considering the space available and the number of species present at the Corporation’s mini zoo at VOC Park, the Central Zoological Authority (CZA) governing body for zoological parks had already advised the authorities to shift the zoo to a spacious place. The Corporation had already identified 32 acres of a 36-acre land available at Kavundampalayam, the erstwhile compost yard of the civic body.

The present mini zoo, situated in about 3.85 acres, has nine mammal species, seven species of reptiles and 27 species of birds. The zoo has, as on date, altogether 346 mammals, reptiles and birds. Because of space constraints and lack of company for cohabitation a lonely lion, tiger and black bear were shifted to the Chennai Aringar Anna Zoological Park. This has reinforced the need to shift the zoo to a spacious place.

The Corporation authorities had been working on this proposal for the last few years, planning the new zoo premises in Kavundampalayam. Mayor R. Venkatachalam, outgoing Corporation Commissioner P. Muthuveeran and Corporation zoo director S. Thirukkumaran gave some shape to the proposal. It was then placed before the Corporation Council at a meeting held recently. The authorities will pursue the proposal with the guidance of the new Corporation Commissioner V.K. Shanmugam.

Under the new proposal, the erstwhile compost yard at Kavundamapalayam will be levelled with debris and filled with red soil for fresh vegetation, laws and landscaping. Once that is done, the authorities plan to have natural animal enclosures and moats for birds and reptiles to give the species an ideal habitation and atmosphere in consultation with wildlife experts and those designing zoological parks. With more space and facilities, the authorities plan to bring in more species to get the status of a medium or large zoo.

This will help give children an exposure to the rich flora and fauna. A total of Rs 2 crore has been allocated for the project, according to the budget of the civic body.

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