Bhubaneswar: Nineteen days after remaining closed due to the Cyclone Fani, Nandankanan Zoological Park and adjoining State Botanical Garden were reopened for visitors on Tuesday.
The zoo and the garden were severely damaged as the Cyclone Fani wreaked havoc on it on May 3.
Elaborate arrangements for visitors’ amenities have been made at the two sites before announcement of the reopening date. Besides big trees, animal enclosure and facilities meant for tourists, including recreational areas for children, were also damaged due to the devastating disaster.
The zoo, located on the outskirts of the capital city, houses around 3,000 animals belonging to 156 species. The zoo is enriched with 210 enclosures with at Nandankanan.
The zoo and the Botanical garden were shut from May 2 for the safety of wildlife animals, a day before the cyclonic wreaked havoc in coastal Odisha.
Besides trees, facilities meant for tourists, including recreational areas for children, were also damaged. The zoo will be thrown open tomorrow after necessary restoration work carried out by the authorities on a war footing.
Elaborate arrangements like drinking water facility have been made at the two places for visitors in view of the prevailing heatwave conditions.
There are 116 cages and 94 open moated enclosures to house all the captive animals at the Zoological Park. It has the glory of having 156 species of animals which includes 41 spp. mammals, 83 spp. birds, 26 spp. reptiles and 6 spp. of amphibians. There are 3004 animals, including 1175 mammals, 1546 birds, 262 reptiles and 21 amphibans.
The State Botanical Garden spreads over an area of 75 hectare. It is situated in the sylvan settings of the moist deciduous forest of the sprawling green Nandankanan sanctuary hemmed between two wetlands. It covers 24 different satellite gardens and parks spread all over undulating landscapes mixed with natural vegetation and meadows.
