Kolkata’s Alipore Zoo will soon be modernised just like the Prague zoo, with new animal species to be brought in under the exchange programmes, according to the agreement signed between the West Bengal state forest department and Prague zoo authorities.
The state forest department has been planning to revamp the Alipore Zoo for a long time. The Alipore Zoological Garden was built in 1875 about 146 years ago. At present, there are about 1,000 animals in the zoo. There are 15 species of mammals, 20 species of snakes and about 60 species of birds. Built across 18.18 hectares in the heart of Kolkata, Alipore is known to be one of the oldest zoos in the world.
On an average, more than 3.5 million people visit the zoo every year. For this, 25,648 square meters of road inside the zoo and 1,858 square meters for recreation have been allocated. With the exception of some administrative work, the rest is allocated for animals and birds. The modernisation of the Kolkata zoo, built across this vast area, has initially cost Rs 80 crore.
West Bengal forest minister Jyotipriyo Mullick gave the green signal for modernising the Alipore zoo. “The Prague zoo has many species of animals that we have not seen here. We can bring them here in the same way and can make use of their modern technology,” Mallick said.
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