Bhubaneswar’s Nandankanan zoo revives ‘adopt-an-animal’ scheme

Context: The Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP) in Bhubaneswar, which suffered a huge loss following its closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has revived its innovative ‘Adopt-An-Animal’ programme to mobilise resources for animals.

• The NZP is one of the leading zoos in the country in terms of its fauna population and species diversity.
• It had received a record 32 lakh footfall three years ago.
• With resources drying up due to the closure for more than six months, the NZP authorities revived the ‘Adopt-An-Animal’ programme.
• When one adopts an animal or a bird, the contribution goes to its care, feeding, enclosure enrichment and renovation.
• The adoption scheme would bring public, corporate bodies and institutions closer to the zoo and heighten their love and passion for captive animals and birds, the authorities said.

Adoption certificate

• The zoo authorities came up with the scheme urging animal lovers to provide funds from ₹500 to ₹2.5 lakh.
• In lieu, a ‘Thank You’ in the form of an adoption certificate, a plaque in the zoo and income tax rebates are available to individuals and organisations.
• People can adopt the Asiatic lion and the Royal Bengal Tiger for ₹1 lakh per annum.

Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP)

·        It is a zoo and botanical garden in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.

·        It is the first zoo in India to join World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) in 2009.

·        It enjoys a good reputation internationally for successfully breeding black panthers, gharials, and white tigers in captivity.

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