Thiruvananthapuram Zoo
| Date opened | 1857[1] |
|---|---|
| Location | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India |
| Coordinates | 8°30′42″N 76°57′18″E / 8.5117293°N 76.9550014°ECoordinates: 8°30′42″N 76°57′18″E / 8.5117293°N 76.9550014°E |
| Land area | 55 acres (22 ha)[2] |
| Number of species | 82[2] |
| Memberships | CZA[3] |
| Website |
www |
The Thiruvananthapuram Zoo (also known as Trivandrum Zoo) is located in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, India. It occupies 55 acres (22 ha) of woodland, lakes, and lawns. It is the oldest zoo in Asia.
History
Thiruvananthapuram Zoo is one of the oldest of its kind in India. Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, who ruled Travancore between 1830 and 1847, established a menagerie where royal tigers, panthers, cheetahs, deer, boar, and other wild animals were kept. His brother Uthram Thirunal and British Resident William Cullen formally establish the zoo in 1857 as an annex to the Napier Museum. The zoo was originally built with the typical iron-barred cages prevalent at the time, and was designed for recreational purposes, but with increased loss of forest and wildlife due to human development, the goal of the Zoo has changed from recreation to conservation.
A modernization project started in 1995 aims to gradually replace the old enclosures with spacious naturalistic enclosures. The state government of Kerala is undertaking this renovation with financial and technical help from the Central Zoo Authority.[2]
Animals
The Thiruvananthapuram Zoo is home to 82 species from around the world. Indigenous species at the zoo include lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, Indian rhinoceros, Asiatic lion, royal Bengal tiger, white tiger[4] and leopard,[2] as well a nine Asian elephants (as of March 31, 2009).[5] Animals from Africa include giraffes, hippos, zebras, and Cape buffalos.[2]
The zoo also includes a snake farm which exhibits both poisonous and non-poisonous snakes.[6]
Birds
- Ostrich
- Scarlet macaw
- Green winged macaw
- Indian peafowl
- White spoonbill
- Cassowary
- Sulphur crested cockatoo
- Common crane
- White necked crane
- Black necked cranegrey heron
- White ibis
- Blossom headed parakeet
- Roseringed parakeet
- Alexandrine parakeet
- Moutached parakeet
- Gray pelican
- Rosy pelican
- Silver pheasant
- Ring necked pheasant
- Rock dove
- Adjutant stork
- Painted stork
- White stork
- White necked stork
- Black necked stork
- Cinerous vulture
- King vulture
- White Backed vulture
- Pariah kite
- Brahminy kite
- Emu
Reptiles
- Anaconda
- Gharial
- Mugger crocodile
- Spectacled caiman
- Monitor lizard
- Bamboo pit viper
- Indian cobra
- Indian rock python
- Rat snake
- Russell's viper
- Checkered keelback
- King cobra
- Red sandboa
- Green tree snake
- Indian flapshell turtle
- Indian black turtle
- Crowned river turtle
- Travancore tortoise
Notes
- ↑ "List of Zoos in India, from 1800 until now". kuchbhi.com. Kuchbhi. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Zoo". keralamuseumandzoo.org. Department of Museums and Zoos, Government of Kerala. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
- ↑ "Search Establishment". cza.nic.in. CZA. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
- ↑ http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/White-Tiger-Arrives-in-Zoo/2014/10/28/article2496015.ece
- ↑ "Thiruvananthapuram Zoo in India". my-elephant.se. Elephant Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
- ↑ "Thiruvananthapuram Zoo, Kerala". my-kerala.com. My Kerala. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
External links
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