Mysore/Mysuru: C.D. Krishnegowda (91), former Curator of Mysuru Zoo and a resident of Indiranagar, passed away yesterday at his residence in city.

He leaves behind five sons and a host of relatives and friends. He was the elder brother of retired Dy.SP C.D. Jagadish.

While his eldest son Mohan is settled in America, his other sons Muruli, Mukund, Manu and Madhu are staying in Mysuru.

Last rites were held at his farm ‘Saraswathi’ on Chamundi Hill Road this afternoon, according to his youngest son Madhu.

A native of Chikkanayakanahalli in Saligrama holi of K.R. Nagar taluk in Mysuru district, Krishnegowda did his Primary and PU education in Mysuru and obtained his B.Sc Degree at Central College in Bengaluru. 

He was appointed as the Joint Director at Lal Bagh and was later appointed as the Curator of Mysuru Zoo, which was under the Horticulture Department in 1958. He retired as the Curator in 1990 after serving for 32 long years.

Krishnegowda had undergone training in Zoo maintenance at Munich in Germany and had undertaken various developmental works at Mysuru Zoo making it famous worldwide. He was also instrumental in getting Giraffe, Chimpanzee, Gorilla, Elephant and other animals from Africa under Animal Exchange Programme, thus making Mysuru Zoo famous for having variety of animals in captivity. This helped the Zoo in getting a lot of visitors not only from across the country but also from across the globe which resulted in crores of rupees revenue to the Zoo annually and also making Mysuru Zoo one of the must visit tourist spots of Mysuru.

It was during his period that breeding of captive wild animals got a push, which added one more feather to the cap of the Zoo. He also brought Karanji Lake under Mysuru Zoo and had got islands built in the lake, which not only attracted variety of birds including migratory birds but also made the lake a tourist attraction.

Though he strongly opposed the proposal of handing over the Zoo to the Forest Department, the Zoo was handed over to the Forest Department in 1992. 

Considering his yeoman service to Mysuru Zoo, Krishnegowda was selected for the Rajyotsava Award in 1984, but following the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the award presentation programme was cancelled. 

When Mysuru Zoo celebrated its 100th year in 1992, Krishnegowda was felicitated by the then Chief Minister S. Bangarappa.