The Hindu : New enclosure coming up in zoo

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 07, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

New enclosure coming up in zoo

By G. Mahadevan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM SEPT. 6. The Public Works Department (PWD) has commenced work on a new primate enclosure in the City Zoo, the third such enclosure being built as part of the ongoing Rs. 5-crore modernisation plan.

The new enclosure, alongside those earlier built for the Lion-tailed Macaque and the Bonnet Macaque, is being built for the two Capuchin monkeys at the zoo. As per the modernisation plan, three more primate enclosures are to be built, one each for the Rhesus monkeys, the Nilgiri Langur and the Common Langur.

All these enclosures are expected to be ready by the end of November this year. An official said that though the zoo had deposited the necessary funds for the Capuchin enclosure with the PWD two years ago, the department had commenced the work only now.

The new bear enclosures in the zoo, one for the Himalayan Bear and other for the Sloth bear, are now ready for inauguration. The enclosures have come up on the sloping grounds opposite the old hippopotamus pits.

Each of these open enclosures sports artificial rock faces on three sides and an open moat in the front portion. The enclosures also have artificial cave-like structures and huge tree trunks to give the bears a feel of their true habitat.

As per the masterplan, the zoo has also commenced work on remodelling the lion enclosure, just below the present lion cages. According to the new plan, the gigantic grill on one side of the enclosure would be replaced by a deep moat.

The walls of the enclosure would be made to resemble rock faces.

Once the remodelling is over, the lions would be permanently out of their cramped cages.

The zoo has also finished drawing up plans for setting up a new `walk-through' aviary and is now looking for construction companies willing to take up the complex task. Even though work on some enclosures is progressing apace, plans for new enclosures for the reptiles, deer and antelopes, an aviary for the birds, enclosures for small cats, a nocturnal home for specified species, an underground cable system for lighting and the new enclosure for flightless birds remain on paper.

The upgradation of the road network inside the zoo has only been partially completed. Even though the targeted date for completing the masterplan is March 31, 2003, the zoo has only utilised just about half the project estimate till now.

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