Cash-Strapped Bannerghatta Zoo Wants You To Adopt Animals, Here's How You Can Help Feed Them

The COVID-19 induced lockdown has hit many sectors hard, financially as people have been forced to stay indoors to prevent the spread of the infection.

Like other public places, most zoos across the country have also remained shut for the better part of the past two months due to the lockdown.

But that has taken away the ticket revenue, which is used to maintain the zoo.

The Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) in Bengaluru is also going through a similar crisis and is seeking the support of the public to keep it running.

BCCL

On Monday the BBP authorities issued an appeal for people to adopt its animals.

The 732-hectare 50-year-old biological park has 2,388 animals of 102 different species in its zoo, safari, butterfly park and rescue centre.

BBP is a self-sustained organisation run only by gate revenue; it has also adopted a few mini zoos of Karnataka.?

BCCL

According to Chief Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru, and Incharge Executive Director of BBP, R Gokul the zoo will also provide an opportunity to name young animals which have not been named or adopted so far.

Some of the recently-born ones available for adoption and naming are: Lioness Sania's one male and three female cubs, HippopotamusDashya's male calf, Spectacled Langur Reshmi's female infant, Hanuman Langur Adithi's infant and Grey Wolf Akira's two male pups.

BCCL

Citizens can also contribute towards one day feeding cost of some of the zoo residents, Gokul said.

The daily cost of feeding some of the animals in the zoo are?

Rs 75,000 for 25 Asian elephants at Rs 3,000 per jumbo

Rs 30,000 for 20 Royal Bengal tigers at Rs 1,500 for each cat

Rs 34,500 for 23 lions at Rs 1,500 each

Rs 21,000 for 42 leopards at Rs 500 each

Rs 2,000 for two giraffes at Rs 1,000 each

Rs 3,000 for four zebras at Rs 750 each

Rs 1,500 for three hyenas at Rs 1,500 each

Rs 6,500 for 13 wolves at Rs 500 each

Rs 4,400 for 11 jackals at Rs 400 each

Rs 1,600 for four wild dogs at Rs 400 each

Rs 9,600 for eight hippopotami at Rs 1,200 each?

Rs 1,800 for three sloth bears at Rs 600 each

"The average cost of feeding all animals is Rs 2,69,500 per day," BBP Executive Director Vanashri Vipin Singh said.

There is a provision for income tax rebate under 80G for animal adoption/donation, it was noted.

BCCL

The BBP had also launched an animal adoption programme during the COVID-19-induced lockdown last year.

"As many as 260 animals were adopted by 213 people in financial year 2020-21 and a sum of Rs 34,94,750 has been raised through this initiative", a BBP official said.