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| Central zoo authority approves international standard zoos for Jammu, Srinagar | | Manda zoo to be relocated at Nagrota, developed on African Safari pattern | | BHARAT BHUSHAN
JAMMU, July 23: The Manda zoo, located close to the city here, would be shifted to Khanpur at Nagrota, about 400 mt off the national highay on Jagti road, where the process has been set in motion to develop it according to international standards.
The central zoo authority of India (CZAI) has already given its approval in this regard, a senior official in the state administration told ET. Khanpur is about 8 km from here on the Jammu-Srinagar road.
The CZAI had also approved a zoo for Srinagar, which would be set up near the Tulip Garden, he added.
Currently Manda zoo does not match international standards as it is simply a Deer Park. The animals there are kept in cages and enclosures. The CZAI norms do not allow to cage wild animals. At present, it has nine leopards and two bears, besides barking deer, spotted deer, peacocks and some other wild animals.
"The CZAI's approval has come to relocate the Jammu zoo from Manda to Khanpur," the officer said.
The important thing about it is that it would be developed on the pattern of African Safari. No animal, including leopards, will be confined to cages. They will be kept in the sprawling enclosures and allowed to move as if they are in the forest, their natural habitat, but utmost care will be exercised to make sure that the visitors are not harmed by them," he added.
He said a train track was also proposed to be constructed inside the Khanpur zoo to take visitors on the safari. Private vehicles would also be allowed to take a round of the zoo to enable people see wild animals in their natural habitat, he added.
The zoo would have a forest area of about 2 km. To acquire this land, the process was about to be completed and boundaries being identified. The land then would be fenced.
The officer said notices inviting expression of interest for zoo designing and layout planning would be floated on the website of the J&K wildlife department and in national dailies.
"The designing and other related activities take at least three months," he added, saying Khanpur was the most suitable place for the zoo.
The CZAI authorities had also visited Khanpur in the recent past and termed the project as eco-friendly, while giving their nod, he added.
The zoo would strictly be developed as per CZAI guidelines, maintaining international standards.
He said nature interpretation centres would also be set up at the zoo to aware people of the role of wild animals in the eco-system.
After the zoo at Khanpur was completed, the Manda zoo would become off-exhibit and would be used for treating sick and injured wild animals, he added.
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