Zoos in Kerala
Zoo is one of the places which attract the tourists. Not only tourists but also the local people like to spend their holiday by visiting the zoo. It is liked by the people of all ages. There are two main zoos in Kerala one at Thiruvananthapuram and another at Thrissur. Both these zoo have museums, botanical and zoological garden in the zoo premises. The wildlife includes tigers, lions, deers, hippopotamus, monkeys, crocodiles etc. Besides these there are birds and snakes as well. The main aim of the zoo is conservation of animals as most of the animals at present fall under the category of endangered species. So it is necessary to conserve them before they become totally extinct.
(i) Thiruvananthapuram Zoo: The Thiruvananthapuram Zoo is located in the centre of the city of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. Set among woodland, lakes and lawns this zoo is one of the well designed zoos in Asia. It is one of the oldest zoos in the country which was established by Travancore King in the year 1857 as an annex to the Napier Museum. And it covers a total area of 55 acres (22 hecatres). There are a variety of plants and trees in the premise that beautifies the zoo.
The sole purpose of the zoo was recreational but gradually the purpose of the zoo changed from recreation to conservation. Sprawling over an area of 55 acres of land the zoo offers rare opportunity for picturesque surroundings besides a rich collection of wild life. The Zoo has 82 different species of animals from all over India and abroad. It has several species of animals and birds from Ethiopian and Australian Zoo geographic regions. The Lion tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Langur, Nilgiri Tahr, One Horned Great Indian Rhino, Asiatic Lion, Royal Bengal Tiger are prominent among the indigenous endangered fauna whereas, Giraffe, Hippo, Zebra, Cape Buffalo are the guests from African region. It will usher in a new era with the completion of the ongoing modernization works in the Zoo. Thrilling encounters with the animals out in their open air landscapes are order of the day now. As aviary and reptile house with various poisonous and non-poisonous snakes, which is located within the zoo premises. There is also a Botanical Garden within the zoo premises which has various species of tropical plants and trees.
(ii) Thrissur Zoo: Thrissur zoo was established in the year 1885 in Chembukavu in Thrissur district. It covers a total area of 13.5 (5.5 hectares) acres of land. It is at a walking distance from the famous "Thrissur round" (one of the longest inner ring roads in India) and the famous Vadakkunnathan temple. Thrissur zoo is small, but the Museum houses a large number of historic items such as swords, jewellery, rocks, stuffed butterflies etc. There is also a small snake park inside the zoo.
The main aim of this zoo is conservation of animals and has taken measures for breeding of animals. Research is also being conducted from here. It is one of the oldest zoos in the country, and is home to the wide variety of animals, reptiles, and birds. The zoo compound includes a natural history museum and an art museum that showcase the socio-cultural heritage of the region. The zoo includes a Zoological Garden, Botanical Garden, Art Museum, and Natural History Museum in its compound. Wildlife at the Thrissur zoo includes tigers, lions, deers, sloth bears, monkeys, hippopotamus, camels, cobras, kraits, vipers, rat snakes, pink flamingos, mithun of the north-eastern hills, and lion-tailed macaques and an assortment of many other species in myriad hues. There is also a special building which houses snakes. The public zoo of Thrissur is all through adorned by landscaped gardens. A natural history museum and an art museum are also enclosed within the same premises showcasing the socio-cultural heritage of thee region.