The number of visitors to Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur increased by 50,000 in the last five days of December, coinciding with the Christmas holiday season, when compared to the corresponding period last year.
According to zoo authorities, during December 25 to 30 last year, nearly 68,500 persons visited the zoo. That number, this year, rose to nearly 1.17 lakh.
Similarly, from April to December last year, a total of 15.4 lakh persons visited the zoo, and this number rose to 17.1 lakh this year. Zoo officials attributed the increase in numbers mainly to school holidays from December 25 to January 1.
Talking about crowd management, a senior wildlife official said zoo authorities utilised the services of their own staff for managing crowds during year-end.
They also formed roving squads to keep tabs on visitors teasing or disturbing the animals.
“Only during Kaanum Pongal, we rope in the services of forest staff from other divisions, fire and rescue services personnel, the police, and home guards, besides college students, to regulate the crowds,” the officer said.
With the ban on carrying edible items or food materials into the zoo, the authorities temporarily created a cloak-cum-dining room for the benefit of visitors.
Those who wish to eat their food after the zoo visit have to deposit the food packet in the cloak room, and collect it later.
As far as garbage problem was concerned, the authorities said garbage accumulated only in the parking area or near the cloak room. Dumping of garbage inside the zoo had come down drastically, the authorities said.
