THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The museum and zoo department has got Rs 11.5 crore in the state budget for the next fiscal year while it demanded Rs 14 crore to develop enclosures and import more animals. Last year the Thiruvananthapuram Museum and Zoo had generated '7 crore from ticket revenue alone. After seven green anacondas arrived from Dehivala Zoo in Sri Lanka in April 2014, the revenue leapt beyond their expectations. The budget speech did not reveal details or the breakup of the expenditure.
M&Z authorities said it was mainly for the construction of enclosures and import of wild animals from South Africa. If the ministry of environment, forest and climate change give the nod at the earliest, animal lovers can see two pairs each of giraffe and white lion, three pairs of zebra and a pair of black jaguar this year itself.
“Our priority this year is to bring in these animals. We have already submitted the proposal before the MoEF and are awaiting the outcome,” M&Z director K. Gangadharan told DC. Four interpretation centres to educate visitors are also on the anvil at the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo. Thrissur Zoo will get a new aquarium at an estimated cost of Rs 1.8 crore which is expected to attract more visitors.
Meanwhile, a section of M&Z employees has accused the authorities of converting the capital zoo into a concrete jungle. Already massive enclosures are getting ready for gaur, zebra, giraffe, exotic birds and porcupine. “The natural environs of the city zoo are getting lost. The allocation of Rs 11.5 crore will ensure more concrete jungles,” said an employee on condition of anonymity.
