Remarkable income from the Department of National Zoological Gardens

Saturday, 7 January 2012 00:53 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Department of National Zoological Gardens earned Rs. 651 million of income during the year 2011. This was comprised with Rs. 163 million from Dehiwala zoo, Rs. 487 million from Elephant Orphanage and Rs.16 million from other sources of income.

This is the highest ever income in the history of the Department of National Zoological Gardens according to Director Bhashwara Senanka Gunarathne.

There were 1,689,712 and 463,982 of local visitors and 20396 and 2,438,541 of foreign visitors to the Dehiwala zoo and elephant orphanage respectively. According to Gunar-athne, it was recorded as the highest number of visitors ever to visit the institution in the history of the Department.

There was Rs. 824 million allocated for the development of this department and for the year 2012 it is Rs. 914 million.

In accordance to the instructions given by Minister Basil Rajapaksa, many development projects were initiated in order to upgrade visitor facilities and some of them are already completed and some are still underway. An animal baby care centre is under construction and to be completed by the middle of this year for premature or sick baby animals with different kinds of poor health conditions and this centre will be constructed according to the international standards. The estimated cost is Rs. 33 million. A rhinoceros exhibit area is another attraction and unique construction site at Dehiwala Zoo.

Zoo officials, vets, curators and keepers have to struggle with aggressive female Rhinoceros’s during their mating process, a tedious task which resulted in the rhino enclosure expanded further to facilitate more hiding places and which will also enhance the breeding ability of rhinos. The estimated cost for the upgrading of rhino enclosure is Rs. 17 million.

In addition to this, a six storied reptilian, a water sump, modification of the restaurant, retaining wall of swan pond, quarters for staff officers, extension to the main entrance, free roaming elephant enclosure, internal road net work and six modern toilet complex are also under construction.