Uttarakhand

• 25 May 2023

Tiger Safari will start in Doon Zoo

Why in News?

On 23 May 2023, Mohan Singh Rawat, Forest Officer of Dehradun Zoo, Uttarakhand, said that on the lines of the state's world-famous Jim Corbett and Rajaji Tiger Reserves, tiger safari will soon start in Dehradun Zoo as well.

Key Points:

• Here the track has been prepared for Tiger Safari, while the work of making 11 enclosures is in the final stage. As soon as the work of the enclosures is completed, a pair of tigers from Nainital Zoo will be shifted here. After this, the tourists will be able to see the total 25 hectares of the zoo area.
• It is known that till now the activities of the Zoo are being conducted only in an area of five hectares.
• The team of Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has also visited Dehradun Zoo to start Tiger Safari. As soon as the work of the enclosures is completed, once again the CZA team will permit inspecting the spot.
• In this track prepared for Tiger Safari, instead of Gypsy, tourists will be taken by electric vehicles, so that the noise and pollution of vehicles can be avoided.
• It is known that this zoo was started in the year 1976 as Van Chetna Kendra. Due to being in Malsi village and the number of deer being high, it was later named Malsi Deer Park. In March 2012, it was converted into a mini zoo. Now after the start of Tiger Safari here, the Zoo is going to get a new identity.
• In Doon Zoo, two cubs of Guldar(A local name given to Leopard) will be brought here from Chidiyapur Rescue Center in a month. Apart from this, two bears (sloth and black bear species), two foxes, and two hyenas will also be brought to the zoo.
• It is worth mentioning that at present there is a female Guldar, 23 types of birds, 23 types of wildlife, and ten species of snakes, crocodiles, and alligators in the zoo. Apart from this, an aquarium has been prepared for fish.
• Dehradun Zoo has always been a centre of tourist attraction. In the last year 2022, 7 lakh 65 thousand tourists came to the zoo. Every day 12 to 15 hundred tourists reach here, while on Sundays the number of tourists reaches 4 to 5 thousand. The zoo earned about 3 crores 35 lakh rupees. This money is spent on the care, food and other expenses of the wildlife.
• The carnivorous animals in the zoo are observed fasting on Tuesdays. No food is given to them on this day. This is done in view of their balanced diet.