The Hindu       11.03.2011

Ettimadai likely to be home for Coimbatore Zoo animals

In all probability, the Coimbatore Corporation Zoo will be established on an expansive place at Ettimadai, near the city. At present, it is situated at a congested place near the VOC Park. The Central Zoological Authority (CZA) gave the nod a few days ago to shift the zoo to the 68.4-acre site at Ettimadai. The Coimbatore Corporation Zoo was set up in 1965 on a 4.61-acre site, even before the Wildlife Protection Act was legislated.

Problems cropped up in 2003 when the CZA said that the zoo needed to be moved to a spacious location for accommodating the varieties of species it housed. The CZA asked the Corporation to identify land for providing better captive breeding conditions to the animals and also ordered shifting of four solitary animals _ for biological ventilation _ to the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur near Chennai.

The zoo has 26 reptiles, 85 mammals, 219 birds, including 11 pea hens and eight Rosy Pelicans. The animals in the zoo include 11 deer, 26 Bonnet Macaques, six foxes, six large and eight small crocodiles, 11 snakes and three camels. In December 2003, a lion (Raja, aged 22), a tigress (Rani, aged 21), Himalayan Black Bear (Pandian, aged 26) and Pig-tailed Macaque (aged 16) were shifted to the zoological park in Vandalur. Thereafter, the Corporation began its marathon efforts to identify a suitable land to shift the zoo.

The authorities first identified a land belonging to the Corporation at Kavundampalayam, a closed compost yard spread over 36 acres.

The Corporation also identified alternative lands, so that the CZA could approve one of those.

The other lands identified were a 26-acre plot at Vellanaipatti, near Kalapatty, a 26-acre plot at Othakkal Mandapam, off Pollachi Road - both belonging to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments.

The civic body also identified another 68.4 acres at Ettimadai belonging to the Revenue Department, closer to the Coimbatore - Palakkad National Highway.