With an aim to raise awareness on big cats and its importance in the maintaining a balance in the ecosystem, Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP) in association with Paryavarana Margadarsi Vaisakhi organised an awareness programme on the occasion of the World Wildlife Day at the Zoo Bioscope on Saturday. The theme for the event was ‘Big Cats – Predators under Threat’. Around 150 students from two schools, NGOs and visitors participated in a rally held within the zoo premises.
Real specimens
On the occasion, the students got a chance to explore and understand the concept of ‘Touch Table’, a recent initiative of the zoo introduced a month ago at Bioscope. Real specimens of body parts of animals and birds were kept on the ‘Touch Table’ with an aim to provide a better understanding of animal world and the behavioural patterns. Ostrich and emu eggs, magnificent antlers of hog and sambar deer, skin of rock python, canine teeth of wild boar, porcupine quills and pelican feathers were some of the elements kept on the table. “The concept of ‘Touch Table is common in foreign zoos. All the items are real and not prototypes. Through the ‘Touch Table’ the visitors can get a chance to touch and feel the structure and texture of animals,” zoo Curator B. Vijay Kumar said.
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The animal parts were collected by Srinivas Reddy, a zoo staff, from the animal enclosures. “We are also planning to add a few more to the collection such as pheasant and turtle eggs and plan to shift the ‘Touch Table’ at the entrance of the zoo,” Mr. Kumar added.
During the World Wildlife Day programme, Prof. Manjulatha from the Dept. of Zoology, Andhra University, explained about big cats and the threats to their habitats. Appala Reddy from India Youth For Society (IYFS) organisation, explained the role of zoological parks in the conservation of wildlife. IYFS has collaborated with the zoo to provide cloth bags to make the IGZP plastic-free.