|
 Negotiating
your way through the traffic snarls of the Mathura
Road, juxtaposed to the remnants of the Old Fort,
the National Zoological Gardens is one of the most
serene environs the city of Delhi could offer. And
when you approach the Zoo, remember it is not just
a zoo that you may have seen in any other city. And
it is not just about animals either.
At the entrance the Mughal Kos Minar greets you and
as you climb up the red sandstone gate, you get a
chance to admire the vast expanse of the Zoological
Park. The winding pathways here are laid with the
red Badarpur gravel, and the green shrubs demarcate
the red with the undulating brown-green vast stretches
of grass. After walking in for about a kilometre,
the pathway bifurcates into two different directions.On
the right side lies the administrative building with
a library which is a storehouse of information on
animals, birds, plants and other popular and rare
zoological species in India.
 There
are open-roofed mobile vans available at nominal charges
within the zoo and it is suggested that during the
sweltering hot Delhi summer season, one must use the
facility. It also is a good picnic spot as there are
a number of parks in the complex. There are ample
number of water points though one is advised to carry
enough replenishments. You may feed the hunger pangs
at the DDA cafeteria outside the zoo.
One may wonder about the upkeep of the facilities
and the health of the animals and birds in the zoo.
Due to the noticeable effort of the effective supervision
of the zoo management, its staff and a few NGO workers
at the zoo, there have been no mishappenings with
any of the animals even during the peak summer of
Delhi informs the Director B.S. Bonal.Going by the
standard of all other areas of Delhi, the Zoological
gardens are certainly a visual treat to the visitors
which include foreigners and Indians alike.
 The
pathway to the right leads to the cages of the Chimpanzee,
Hippopotamus, Spider monkey, African Wild Buffalo,
the Gir Lion and Zebras etc. The one on the left is
more for the waterbodies. There are swamps for the
water birds which looks better during the migratory
season. Macaque, Banteng, Emu, Hyenas, Axis deer,
Fallow deer, Peafowl, Hog Dear and the Jaguar are
some of the important ones.In the centre of the zoo,
is the underground Reptile Home complex for the nocturnal
animals including the King Cobra, Pythons and many
other nocturnal species.
The quietude of the Sambhars cage is usually disturb
by the occasional trains that pass on the nearby Northern
railway line.Also in keeping with the typical inhumane
attitude of the human visitors, which the animals
and the animal keepers object to, is the screaming
and shouting of the visitors to attract the attention
of the animals!
 What
differentiates the National Zoological Park from the
other zoo is the concept of maintaining the more than
200 varieties of trees, that are properly displayed
along with their respective descriptions.The boards
notify and interest the non-botanist with complete
knowledge of the pendulous deep yellow Alamtas or
the phulahi hedges or the drought resistant
Lahura trees. The well trimmed native of Delhi bistendu
are the ones easily identifiable lined up along the
pathway.
- Saurabh Sharma
|
9:07:39 PM 
