Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Thursday inaugurated a research and training facility at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park at Vandalur, besides naming a lion cub born in captivity.
The facility will be set up at an estimated cost of ₹7.13 crore.
It will take up research on subjects such as endangered animals and their reproduction, besides suggesting ways and means to address man-animal conflicts.
Mr. Palaniswami also chaired a meeting of the Zoo Authority of Tamil Nadu where it was decided to upgrade the Zoological park at Vandalur, Guindy Children's Park and Salem Kurumbapatty Park at an estimated cost of ₹9.12 crore, an official release said.
Battery-operated train
The meeting accorded sanction for acquiring a battery-operated train at a cost of ₹3 crore for upgrading the facilities for visitors. He named a lion cub born in the park as ‘Vishnu, ’ which was born in February. The eight-month-old cub was born to Jhansi, 6-year-old lioness. The cub’s mother was named Jhansi by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa after she was born to Kavitha in Vandalur zoo.
Forests Minister Dindigul C. Sreenivasan, Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar, Rural Industries Minister P. Benjamin, Members of Parliament, K.N. Ramachandran, Maragtham Kumaravel, J. Jayavardhan, Chief Secretary Girija Vaidhyanathan, Kancheepuram Collector P. Ponnaiah and officials participated.
