The century-old Mysuru zoo and Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) in Bengaluru together receive about one million schoolchildren every year. The number is on the rise with each passing year with the zoos acting as ‘centres of conservation education’.
To make the children’s visit worthwhile, the Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK) has resolved to appoint zoo educators in these two tourist hubs. They will accompany the schoolchildren, guiding them while going around.
Despite putting up signs and information boards on the premises, the schoolchildren would have some doubts but there was nobody to answer them. Henceforth, it will be a kind of guided tour for the children with the zoo educators.
The zoo educators, most of them college students, had been hired and trained, and they shall work part-time . As of now, 11 zoo educators had been hired for the Mysuru zoo.
“It is first time we have taken up this initiative to educate children on matters of conservation since such issues can be introduced at an early age. Of the 50 candidates who had appeared for the selection, seven had been selected after a written test. Most of them are college students. Bannerghatta will also have zoo educators soon,” said ZAK Member Secretary B.P. Ravi.
Candidates who had come for the selection here included software professionals.
Mr. Ravi told The Hindu that of ten million visitors, around one million visitors to the two zoos are schoolchildren. Many come in groups and in excursions organised by the schools. The schools can utilise the services of the educators for making their tour meaningful with interesting info on the zoo and its vast collection of animals and birds. The zoo will be paying the zoo educators ₹500 a day as an incentive based on their services. “Whenever we need their services, they shall report to the zoos. The services would be available mostly on weekends and during public holidays,” the ZAK Member Secretary said.
