Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 2: Making headway towards establishment of first-ever modern zoo in the outskirts of Jammu city, the State Government has submitted detailed Master Plan to the Central Zoo Authority (CZO), which has already agreed in-principle to render all possible assistance to the Jammu and Kashmir State in this regard.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that the establishment of modern zoos—one each in Srinagar and Jammu, was mulled in 2010 but the steps for giving practical shape of these plans were initiated in the last quarter of 2012 when the Wildlife Department started exercise to identify the area for the purpose in Srinagar as well as Jammu.
Though area for establishment of zoo in Jammu was identified within shortest possible time yet the same for Srinagar is yet to be selected by the Wildlife Department. In Jammu, huge area has been identified at Khanpur near Nagrota, sources said.
They disclosed that after detailed survey through the experts the Master Plan of the zoo at Khanpur Nagrota was prepared and few days back the same was submitted to the Central Zoo Authority, sources said. “At present the Master Plan is under consideration at the Central Zoo Authority and after detailed examination the same will be placed before a national level committee for clearance”, sources added.
According to the sources, the upcoming zoo will be unique in many ways having facilities like Children Park, Wild Safari, Aquarium and invertebrate conservation centres. “As the Central Zoo Authority has already agreed in principle to extend all possible assistance to the J&K Government for establishing two modern zoos, the Wildlife Department will shortly begin the basic works in order to complete the same well before the approval from the national level committee”, they added.
When contacted, Chief Wildlife Warden, A K Singh confirmed that Master Plan has been submitted to the Central Zoo Authority, adding “hopefully the Central Zoo Authority will shortly call us for discussion on the Master Plan so that Authority’s suggestions, if any, could be incorporated”. He, however, said that the Master Plan has been prepared in the light of guidelines laid down by the Central Zoo Authority.
In response to a question, Mr Singh said that a long list of animals for the upcoming zoo has also been submitted to the Central Zoo Authority. Initially, the animals found in Shivalik Range of mountains would be kept in the zoo till zoo to zoo transfer of animals begins on the instructions of the Central Zoo Authority, he added.
According to the sources, almost all new animals coming to new zoo are acquired from other zoos through captive breeding programmes and the animals from the wild are acquired only as rescued ones or for planned breeding programme. Moreover, animals, which are victims of man-animal conflicts as a result of disturbances and loss of habitat, are rescued and brought to zoo.
The establishment of modern zoo would help in diverting pilgrims visiting cave shrine of Shri Mata Vaishnodevi for wildlife tourism besides helping in conservation of wildlife in a planned manner and developing amongst visitors an empathy for wild animals and motivate them to support the cause of wildlife conservation.
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