NATIONAL 6 -(Spotlight Weekly)]

A Facelift

The Central Zoo at Jawalakhel has remodeled it's older image

By AKSHAY SHARMA

The Central Zoo has managed to change its old image of a place just to exhibit caged animals. The image of a favorite place around town to bask in the sun with a packet of peanuts is giving way to a new one. The only place in the country where the toddlers get to see the ferocious beasts out of their homes in the jungle. A tragic event occurred a few months ago when Chandrika the Zoo's only lioness died. Zoo has it's fair share of population of some rare animals like black buck.

The Central Zoo is the only zoo in Nepal. It was established in 1932 by the late Prime Minister Juddha Shumsher J.B. Rana as a private zoo. After the political changes in 1951, the ownership of the Central Zoo came under His Majesty's Government of Nepal and was opened to the public in 1956. Over the years the management of the zoo fell under various government departments, and finally under the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation. On December 29th, 1995, on the Golden Jubilee of His Majesty King Birendra Bikram Shah Dev's auspicious birthday the management of the Central Zoo was formally handed over to the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation (KMTNC) , an autonomous, non-profit and non-governmental environmental organization.

Central Zoo : A good place to pass time

The Central Zoo is spread over an area of six hectares. It houses about 500 animals of 94 different species. Among them, there are 30 mammals, 52 birds and 8 reptiles. The Central Zoo has 14 of the 38 endangered animals of Nepal.

The KMTNC is developing the Central Zoo as the Center for Conservation Education and Wildlife in Nepal. It aims to improve animal health and welfare by creating natural habitat and providing food according to their dietary requirements. The other objective is to encourage research and provide conservation education through first-hand experience of wild animals. To raise public awareness about the importance of nature conservation is another of the Central Zoo's goal.

To achieve the aims and objectives of the Central Zoo, a master plan has been developed which has been approved for full implementation. It is however, realized that fast-track improvements are necessary to ensure proper welfare of animals, to provide better physical facilities for both animals and visitors and to raise public awareness of nature conservation, prior to the full-fledged implementation of the master plan. Several programs such as the improvement of physical and health condition for animals and facilities for visitors has already been launched. The Zoo has also initiated conservation education programs for the visitors and school children.

The KMTNC has the expertise and experience in the field of nature conservation and has succeeded to win international Conservation Awards of repute under its different projects. The Zoo biology conservation project is a new field of opportunity and challenge for the KMTNC management since the only Zoo of Nepal came under its umbrella in 1996.

The Central Zoo is also launching a animal sponsorship program. It will not only allow the contributor to support the cost of animal up-keep and welfare of the Central Zoo but also win the appreciation of a million people who visit the central zoo yearly.

The sponsor will have a choice to select the size and area of advertisement board/name plated. The charge for sponsorship ranges from US$170 to US$ 3340 ( NRs.10,000 to 20,000) per year. Furthermore, the Central Zoo will provide a certificate along with a photograph of selected animals which will also serve the tax deduction purpose.

The Department of Animal Health Care was running with a budget of about US$ 67,000 (NRs. 4 million ) and expected to raise about US $ 84,000 (NRs. 5 million) for the year 1998/1999 as per the recommendation of experts in animal welfare and environment enrichment.

You can be more intimate with the beauty and pleasant atmosphere of the Central Zoo by enjoying a ride on a elephant or take a paddle boat or a raft on the lake for a small fee. You can have a peep at the Visitor Center for displays, video and slide presentations and up-coming conservation education programs. Or you can stop at the Souvenir Shop and purchase attractive items.

The Friends of the Zoo which is a conservation protection program organizes a variety of events throughout the year.