Soon, strolling through the wilderness of the National Zoological Park in the national Capital will be more pleasurable and informative for kids and elders alike. In line with the international zoos, the National Zoological Park, also known as Delhi Zoo, will have interesting enclosures such as walk-in-aviary where a visitor can walk between birds, insectariums displaying a variety of insects, butterfly park, aquarium, primary park, primate park, desert trail, nocturnal animal house and pheasant trail etc.
Considered to be one of the most spacious zoological parks in the country, the Delhi Zoo, which spreads over the 126 acres of land, is presently home to about 1,350 animals representing almost 130 species, apart from having a wide variety of indigenous and exotic birds.
Now with an aim to promote it as a world-class zoological park as envisaged in its master plan vision (2017-2026), the Delhi Zoo has listed major animal enclosures for taking up on priority basis.
In walk-in aviary, one can walk between the birds and see birds feeding, preening and breeding and get information through displayed boards while insectariums will display a variety of insects and similar arthropods, such as spiders, beetles, cockroaches, ants, bees, stick insects, scorpions among others
“Animal facilities such as butterfly park, aquarium, primate park, insectariums, desert trail, nocturnal animal house , pheasant trail etc,” said a senior official from the Union Environment Ministry which directly controls its functioning.
“Recently, it was felt to promote National Zoological Park as a world-class zoo. Accordingly, a perspective plan is proposed to make it world class incorporating major works of approved master plan in ten years (2017-2026). Vision of the zoo is promoting it as a world class zoo that includes addition of new enclosures,” he said.
In this direction, the National Zoological Park has invited expression of interest from the zoo consultants/firms to prepare designs of the enclosures, the official added.
The enclosures will be designed as per the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) norms and specification to provide world class housing conditions to the zoo animals so as to suit their natural instincts and behaviour. The zoo is also part of the conservation breeding programmes of the National Zoological Park.