On the occasion of the 54th foundation day of the Nandankanan Zoological Park here, Forest and Environment Minister Bijayshree Routray inaugurated three new enclosures for wild hares, amphibians and marmoset monkeys at the zoo on Sunday.
One of the attractions of the zoo is the enclosure for marmoset, which is known as the world’s smallest monkey. The zoo authorities have spent `4.49 lakh for the construction of the new enclosure.
It is developed in a 780-sqft of area to give a congenial atmosphere for the three pairs of marmosets.
Marmosets are about 20-cm long and they show some apparently primitive features relative to other monkeys. These animals are native to Central and South America. From the size point of view, one can hold a marmoset with the help of a finger, said Sanctuary Range Officer Anjan Kumar Mohanty.
Similarly, the enclosure for a pair of wild hares is developed in a 540-sqft of area at a cost of `2.61 lakh, while the amphibian enclosure has been constructed at a cost of `6.5 lakh to house 12 species of frogs, said the zoo authorities.
The Minister said the Government would try to enhance the quality of the zoo to attract more visitors.
As a first step, it would develop the Kanjia lake in the zoo area, he added.
On the issue of the wild tiger, which was captured by zoo officials in May, Routray said it would be released to the wild within 15 days.
He also said the authorities would bring mates for the zoo’s single animals including
orangutan, rhinoceros and giraffe.
Notably, the zoo, which is developed in 376 hectares of area, was established by the then Chief Minister Dr HK Mahtab in 1960. Now, it houses 2,185 creatures of 126 species.
Routray felicitated employees of the zoo for their excellent job. Among others, Forest Secretary RK Sharma, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests BP Singh, Nandankanan Zoo Director Sudarshan Panda, Deputy Director Manoj V Nair and Sanctuary Range Officer Anjan Mohanty were present.