Katraj Zoo to play host to 30 more species

“We will increase the stock of all three categories: Mammals,reptiles and birds. The maximum additions will be to the reptile section. We are in the process of hiring a consultant for the same who will advise us on the expansion plan including the design and number of enclosures that need to be constructed,” said zoo director Raj Kumar Jadhav. Several zoos in the country would be contacted with regard to providing the animals,he said. “Under the wildlife collection plan,we propose to add more animal species such as lion,wild Dhole,(Asiatic wild dog) lesser cats and leopards to the zoo,” said Jadhav.

However,no new area would be added to the Katraj Zoo as per the plan,which was mooted as the zoo has seen a substantial increase in the number of visitors. ”On weekends around 20,000 people visit the zoo each day while on an average the number of people that visit the zoo every day is between 5,000 and 12,000. We want to provide maximum number of facilities to the visitors. We also plan to set up a cafeteria and souvenir shop at the zoo to attract more people,” added Jadhav.

Over the last 12 years,there has been a substantial increase in the number of visitors to Katraj Zoo. In 1999-2000,the number was 8,68155. This increased to 1,367202 in 2009-10. As of April last year,1020681 people had visited the zoo in 2010. “The zoo sees nearly 13 lakh visitors every year,” Jadhav said.

When contacted,Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Deputy Mayor Prasanna Jagtap said,“The implementation of the master plan is one of our priorities. We have also introduced facilities such as electric cars for the convenience of people visiting the zoo.”