Mysuru: The famed 125- year- old Mysuru zoo is on the brink of a makeover with the addition of an aquarium modelled on the one in Dubai, an amphitheatre similar to the one in the Singapore zoo and import of chimpanzees, cheetah and jaguar among other animals from the Tohoku zoo in Japan, an anaconda from the Srilanka zoo and a zebra from the Israel zoo.
As the zoo begins its 125th anniversary celebrations on Thursday, it also has a slew of programmes lined up to entertain and educate animal lovers.
Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, chairperson of the Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK), Mallige Veeresh said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would inaugurate the 125th year celebrations on Thursday and also open the "Vanyaranga" amphitheatre built at a cost of Rs 204 lakhs , unveil a 20 feet tall memorial made of a soap stone slab made to mark the zoo's 125th year near its entrance, release a documentary on the zoo, name the female Asiatic elephant calf born on its campus recently and release stamps to mark the occasion.
" ZAK has sought Rs 75 crore for the 125th anniversary celebrations of the Mysuru zoo. It will use the money to develop the aquarium at a cost of Rs 25 crore, upgrade the Koorgalli Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre at a cost of Rs 25 crore , create a central parking hub over 14 acres in the grounds of the Karnataka Exhibition Authority and arrange a shuttle bus services to the zoo. An underpass is planned in front of the Mysuru zoo to avoid traffic congestion," Ms Veeresh added.
Pointing out that zoos today were being considered places of entertainment and conservation, ZAK member secretary, B P Ravi said documentaries would be screened at the amphitheatre to educate people on wildlife conservation, workshops held on man- animal conflict and zoo outreach programmes held to educate school children on wildlife as part of the celebrations.
In addition to the Mysuru zoo adopting the Gadag zoo, the Bannergatta zoo in Bengaluru will adopt the Gulbarga zoo, and master plans are being prepared for zoos in Belagavi, Gadag, Gulbarga, Davangere and Shimoga to draw more tourists to them, according to him.
