District Minister writes to NRIs, AKKA appealing for funds

Mysore/Mysuru: With the front gates locked and the normal revenue streams in hibernation because of the Coronavirus lockdown, the Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, popular as Mysuru Zoo, is thinking of raising funds through donations to continue caring for its denizens.

In an appeal to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and AKKA (Association of Kannada Kootas of America) Mysuru District Minister S.T. Somashekar has sought for donations as revenue at the Zoo has seen elephant-sized plunge.

In a letter written to NRIs and AKKA, the Minister has appealed animal-lovers to pool in funds and donate the same to the Zoo. In his letter, the Minister has also mentioned that in his personal capacity and along with Food and Civil Supplies Minister K. Gopalaiah, he has donated Rs. 1.29 crore to the Zoo for immediate maintenance and has appealed for funds. Somashekar had collected a portion of the funds from donors of Yeshwanthpur Assembly Constituency.

This summer has been very bad for the Zoo. Due to the lockdown, funds have been hard to come by as there are no visitors. The Zoo gets the maximum number of visitors during the summer holidays and this year, the Zoo is shut. Even after lockdown when rules are relaxed, the Zoo cannot hope for immediate recoveries and has to wait till the Dasara season to see a spike in gate collection.

Zoo-keepers and maintenance workers have to feed the animals daily, clean their housing and make sure that the Zoo and its animals are in tip-top shape. Essential workers who tend to the animals daily are divided into teams, are encouraged to wear personal protective equipment like face masks, and are at a safe social distance from co-workers, say Zoo officials.

The Mysuru Zoo earns anywhere between Rs. 3 crore and Rs. 5 crore from March to May, that is summer season. Though there is substantial revenue in other months, the revenue raised during summer, Dasara, and winter is critical for the Zoo’s survival. The Zoo collects an average annual revenue between Rs. 14 and Rs. 25 crore as indicated in the revenue chart from 2015 to 2019. Also, revenue is collected from people who enter Karanji Lake Nature Park.

Though the revenue is substantial, a lot of money goes into maintaining the campus and the animals. The Zoo is a self-sustaining and a self-reliant institution that has not depended on Government grants since 2002. Instead, it maintains itself out of the money raised from gate ticket collection.

The 125-year-old Zoo houses 1,450 animals from 168 species representing more than 25 countries. Plus the Zoo has to maintain Chamundi Animal Conservation, Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre at Koorgalli on the outskirts of the city. As such, it has sent an appeal for donations.