Animal Lovers Fund Adoption of Five Animals at Vizag Zoo

Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Visakhapatnam, has announced the adoption of five animals under its Animal Adoption Programme, with visitors contributing `82,000 towards their care and welfare.

Curator G. Mangamma said V. Nishkala Nakshatra, on the occasion of a birthday celebration, adopted a spotted deer, a star tortoise and a meerkat for one year. The adoption costs were `20,000 for the spotted deer, `10,000 for the star tortoise and `20,000 for the meerkat, taking the contribution to `50,000.

Similarly, a family from Uttar Pradesh adopted a red-necked wallaby for one year and a leopard for one month. The wallaby adoption cost `20,000, while the one-month leopard adoption cost `12,000, taking their contribution to `32,000.

Mangamma said the Animal Adoption Programme offers individuals, families, educational institutions, organisations and corporate bodies an opportunity to support wildlife conservation by sponsoring the care of animals housed at the zoo. The programme also provides certain privileges to adopters while promoting public participation in conservation efforts.

She added that donations made under the scheme are eligible for tax exemption under Section 80G(5) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, under the old tax regime, subject to applicable provisions.