Mysore/Mysuru: The ‘Shuka Vana’ (Parrot Park) in the sprawling Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Ashram in city has been temporarily closed from today (Mar. 9) until further notice as precautionary measure following COVID-19,   Ashram authorities said.

They said that the Park will be closed due to threat of spread of coronavirus. This is for the first time that the Park has been closed for such a long time. Earlier it had closed for one or two days due to bird flu. The decision has been taken as the tourists and devotees including foreigners visit the Ashram in large numbers.

The Ashram authorities have also closed the famous Kishkindha Moolika Bonsai Garden and Vishwam Museum in the premises for the same reason.

The ‘Shuka Vana’ consists of Amazon parrots of about 468 species of birds. They fly around the 60-foot-tall free-flight aviary, once in a while swooping down for a peck at food brought in by visitors. 

‘Shuka Vana’ has entered the Guinness book of World Records for housing the largest number of bird species in an aviary.