Herbivores Safari, Butterfly & Fossil Parks to come up
New tourist facilities completed at Gharana Wetland
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 5: A comprehensive Master Plan for the expansion of Jambu Zoo at Nagrota will be ready by September end and the same will pave the way for the development of several new attractions such as Herbivores Safari, a Butterfly Park and a Fossil Park aimed at significantly enhancing the zoo’s appeal for wildlife lovers and eco-tourists.
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Official sources told EXCELSIOR that a Delhi-based consultancy, engaged by the Wildlife Department of the J&K Government, is in the advanced stage of preparing comprehensive Master Plan for Jambu Zoo. In all probability, the plan will be ready by the end of September.
“The Master Plan is being formulated to ensure the long-term development and sustainable management of the zoo in line with modern zoological standards. Once finalized, the zoo will witness phased development of new thematic enclosures and educational zones”, sources added.
They further said, “till the finalization of the Master Plan, the Wildlife Department will make all out efforts to complete the ongoing works, which otherwise faced delay due to non-release of funds/budget for the current financial year well in time by the Finance Department”.
According to the sources, the Master Plan will pave the way for adding several new attractions including a Herbivores Safari, a Butterfly Park and a Fossil Park to the zoo. “The proposed Herbivores Safari will offer visitors a close range experience of herbivorous animals in a semi-national habitat”, they said, adding “by observing these animals in their natural habitat, visitors will be able to learn about their behaviors, ecological roles and the importance of conservation”.
Similarly, Butterfly Park will be designed as a vibrant conservation and education zone showcasing the diversity of butterfly species. The Butterfly Park will help in conservation of butterfly populations by providing a safe environment for breeding and feeding. The fluttering colorful butterflies, which are really hard to fund these days in our vicinity, will attract visitors interested in nature and wildlife besides educating the public about the importance of butterflies in the ecosystem.
Likewise, Fossil Park will offer insights into prehistoric wildlife and serve as a learning hub for students and researchers. The Fossil Park will be a specially designed theme park or protected area that will display and preserve fossil remains of prehistoric plants, animals and organisms.
“The Fossil Park will serve educational, scientific, and recreational purposes, offering visitors a unique glimpse into earth’s ancient past”, sources said.
At present, there are 17 enclosures in which different species of wild animals like tiger, lion, leopard, Himalayan black bear, black buck, snake chambers and crocodile have been kept for public display.
Moreover, work on 13 different animal enclosures have been undertaken and the prominent species to be housed in these enclosures will be hippopotamus, ostrich, Indian gaur, hyena, wolf, fishing cat etc. A walk through aviary is also in the construction stage where number of beautiful native as well as exotic species of birds will be kept.
When contacted, Sarvesh Rai, Chief Wildlife Warden J&K confirmed that Master Plan for Jambu Zoo will be ready by September end and will help in enhancement of overall appeal of the zoo and achieving recognition at par with other prominent zoos of the country.
He divulged that Herbivores Safari, Butterfly Park and Fossil Park will add more attraction to the Jambu Zoo and raise it to the level of large zoos.
In response to a question, the Chief Wildlife Warden informed that several new facilities for the tourists have been completed at Gharana Wetland, a notable birding site near the International Border in R S Pura area of Jammu district. These include a Tourist Information Centre and Cafeteria, which are expected to be formally inaugurated in the coming weeks.
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