Mysore Zoo achieves financial self-sufficiency

The century-old Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens stands above all the other 162 zoos in the country in meeting financial requirements from its own earnings.

During 2004-05, its revenue stood at Rs 3.45 crore. The zoo's single day record collection came on the Vijaya Dasami day last year, when a gate fee of Rs 4.11 lakh was earned. The adoption of animals and birds by public fetched an additional revenue of Rs 4 lakh.

Out of its annual earnings, the Zoo spent Rs 85 lakh for feeding its collection of birds and animals and Rs 10 lakh for medicines.

With the zoo able to manage on its own funds, the Karnataka government has suspended the financial assistance of Rs one crore to the zoo.

Spread over an area of 80 acres in the heart of the city, on way to Chamundi Hills, Mysore Zoo is famous for its rare collection and also for breeding of animals. It has 854 animals and birds of 113 species, a unique collection of almost all the species found in the South Asian continent.

Rare species include giraffe, bison and African elephant. Its 220 staff members take care of the animals as well as its management.

According to Zoo's executive director Manoj Kumar, Mysore Zoo is the only zoo in the country to have achieved financial self-dependence without looking for funds from elsewhere. A programme is being launched next month for further development of the zoo on the suggestions being received by the public and visitors.

The Zoo was set up in 1892 by the then Maharaja Chamaraja Wodeyar in a wing of his summer palace and was known then as the Palace Zoo. It became full-fledged in 1909 bearing the present name and opened it to the public.