New Town: Mamata opens mini zoo covering 12.5 acre

KOLKATA: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday virtually inaugurated the renovated mini zoo at New Town spread across 12.5 acre of land opposite Eco Park. The mini zoo had started its journey as Harinalaya, the deer park in 2016.

“We have the Alipore Zoo which is a major tourist attraction. Now, for the people in the city, we have the second zoo in New Town,” Banerjee said while inaugurating the mini zoo virtually from her distribution programme at Panchla in Howrah. A pair of giraffes, and a pair of zebras, Ramu and Sonia, who had arrived from Alipore Zoological Gardens during December, will be a part of the zoo.. A hippopotamus has also arrived last month. Two types of crocodiles — salt water and marsh — had arrived about a year ago. The third variety available in India, gharial, will come in future. 36 deer of two different types-spotted and barking deer, 16 Sugar Glider and 100 birds of different varieties like Black Swan, Black Cockatoo, Macaw to name a few.

Forest minister Jyotipriya Mallick who along with senior officials of the department was present in the mini zoo during the Chief Minister’s formal inauguration said that the carnivore section of the zoo is being developed and tiger, lion, leopard and Black Panther will be arriving soon. Plans are afoot to develop the mini zoo as an eco-friendly one strictly adhering to the guidelines of Central Zoo Authority. “There will be a captive bird breeding centre. Research programmes on indigenous species will be conducted and animal adoption scheme will also be introduced,” a senior official of the Forest department said.

Harinalay is open from 10am to 5pm and tickets cost Rs 30. However, the entry fee is likely to be revised soon.