The mini and small zoos in the State that were on the brink of closure are now on the course of resurgence with some of them emerging as conservation and environment education centres, thanks to the efforts of the Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK).
Some of these zoos, which are sources of amusement and activity for locals, are getting a makeover with the support of the State government agencies, under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The best example is Gadag zoo in North Karnataka that is on the path of revival with several development works that will eventually help it attract more visitors.
The Gadag zoo, established in 1972, is located at Binkadakatti in Gadag taluk of Gadag district. Though it is nearing its 50th anniversary, the zoo has remained underdeveloped because of limited income. It falls under the ‘small zoo’ category based on the guidelines of the Central Zoo Authority. It attracts about 70,000 visitors annually.
ZAK’s plan of “bigger zoos adopting smaller zoos” in a bid to develop mini zoos seems to be working as expected and getting much-needed attention. Surplus revenue from two major zoos – Mysuru zoo and the Bannerghatta Biological Park – was proposed to be spent on reviving mini zoos and turning them into tourist attractions.
As of now, income through gate collection at the mini zoos was lowest. Mysuru zoo and Bannerghatta Biological Park in Bengaluru, which were financially stable with good footfall and enough potential to revive smaller zoos, adopted the Gadag zoo and the Chitradurga zoo, both of which were crying for attention.
After the Central Zoo Authority approved the master plan for Gadag zoo, it saw a walk through aviary, signage boards, pavements, an administrative block and so on. The aviary is on the lines of the one at Karanji Lake Nature Park (KLNP), another attraction under ZAK in Mysuru. 4,871 animal and bird species were on display across 8 zoos under ZAK.
The income-expenditure deficit of the zoo was met by the government. If zoos have to be financially self-reliant, the revenue must go up and this can happen only if the number of visitors goes up. For this, the zoos should be more attractive to tourists.
B.P. Ravi, ZAK Member Secretary and Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, told The Hindu that the Gadag Zilla Panchayat released ₹3.5 crore towards the development of the zoo. “This fund helped us a lot to take up development works. Infosys also gave ₹1 crore towards the development of the zoo,” he added.
The CZA has allowed the display of 22 species at Gadag zoo. “We have now set our vision to develop Chitradurga and Belagavi zoos. Master plans are awaited. There are plans to raise ₹2 crore towards the development of Belagavi zoo,” Mr. Ravi said.
