Karnataka - Mysore   

Three zoos in danger of being closed down

MYSORE: At least three of the eight zoos in the State may be closed down soon if the State Government does not consider allocating additional funds.

The Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK) has been finding it “difficult” to run the zoos categorised as “mini-zoos” because of lack of revenue from them.

Its governing council, which met here recently, resolved to close down the zoos in Belgaum, Gulbarga and Davangere if the Government did not provide financial assistance.

The animals from these zoos will be shifted to the zoo coming up at Kamalapur, near Hampi.

However, the governing council has decided to retain Binkadakatte Zoo in Gadag. The Bellary zoo will be closed down once the Hampi zoo opens.

Member-secretary of ZAK and Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests M.N. Jayakumar told The Hindu that the governing council had sent its recommendations to the Government.

The closure of the three zoos is subject to government approval.

“By shifting the animals to larger zoos, the animals will get bigger enclosures and better facilities,” he argued.

Hampi zoo

Mr. Jayakumar said the Central Zoo Authority of India had given its nod for the Hampi zoo project and the master plan.

He said the zoo near Hampi was coming up on 120 hectares and the enclosures were specially designed so that animals had more space to move around.

The first phase of the work costing Rs. 22 crore was likely to commence soon. A major portion of the Rs. 70-crore project may be completed in the next 12 to 15 months, Mr. Jayakumar said.

‘Conscious decision'

“With Hampi being a prominent tourist destination and a World Heritage Site, a conscious decision was taken to establish the State's biggest zoo near Hampi to boost tourism,” he explained.

All the eight zoos in the State, including the Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Garden, Mysore, and Bannerghatta Biological Park, Bangalore, come under ZAK.

While the ones in Mysore, Bangalore and Shimoga (Tavarekoppa) are categorised as major zoos, those in Davangere, Bellary, Gadag, Gulbarga and Belgaum are listed as mini-zoos.

Crying out for attention

All these years, the mini-zoos have been crying for attention. But perhaps because there is a lack of revenue from these zoos, the authorities did not take up any development works there.

In the meantime, the Government came up with the proposal of establishing a major zoo near Hampi. This gave the authorities the option of shifting the animals from the “non-viable” zoos to the zoo near Hampi.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Graduation day to be held
‘Prevent human rights violation'
‘Supply seeds by month-end'
MP criticises Government for lathi-charge on farmers
Three zoos in danger of being closed down
Anna Hazare in Mysore on May 5
Prevent human rights violations, State Government told
CET held at 12 centres
Cotton seed scarcity raises several questions
Tremors felt in Madikeri; citizens rush out of houses

Copyright © 2011, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu