SHWETA KAMAT
shweta@herald-goa.com
BONDLA: The State’s only zoo at Bondla saw an increase in footfalls during the last two financial years, as students, locals and tourists visited the animal enclosure, but the authorities are now keeping their fingers crossed following the death of the tiger couple, Rana and Sandhya, which was the main attraction since 2009.
However, the good news is that the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has given a green signal to Bondla procuring a new pair of tigers. State Forest Department officials are in talks with the Dr Shivaram Karnath Biological Park, Mangaluru, on this.
“Though, we have received the green signal, there is no clarity by when we will be able to get the new pair of tigers. Post monsoon is the peak season and we are keeping our fingers crossed,” an official told Herald.
“The tigers were the main attraction of the zoo, most visitors were here to see the tigers,” an official said, adding that in 2016-17, the zoo saw 1.13 lakh visitors that included 36,000 students and children, 74,000 adults and 1912 foreigners.
The year 2016 saw the death of tiger Rana in December and the footfalls declined by nearly a thousand compared to 1015-16 that reported 1.14 lakh visitors.
Traditionally Bondla zoo has been exchanging either Indian Bison (Gaur) or Sambar with other similar facilities to get the animals that they want. This time too, the zoo authorities are ready for an exchange of any one of the animal pairs.
The tiger pair was also brought after a similar exchange but the pair could not reproduce as the male had been sterilised. “We were not aware that the tiger was sterilised,” an official said. The failure to have this basic information of the male tiger appears to have put a stop to the plans of having a tiger family at Bondla.
Located within Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, the zoo has been well-maintained with the Forest Department officials abiding by the guidelines of the central zoo authority.
This facility would have been improved to a greater extend if the master plan drawn up a decade ago had been executed. The lack of funding and last minute refusal by Central Zoo Authority to provide finance for the improvement of Bondla facility left the zoo in the lurch.
Forest Department had undertaken a facelift of the zoo, which is in existence since 1969, according to the master plan drawn in 2008. The proposal and plan was approved by CZA and the State government.
As per the master plan, the area of the zoo was supposed to be increased from 10 hectares to 40 hectares. The plan had also proposed to increase the number of animal species in the zoo along with improved facilities for visitors.
“A fresh plan has been now sent to CZA for approval. The plan now seems to be funded by the State government,” official said.
