ATHUL KURAKAR VISITED THIRUVANANTHAOURAM ZOO AND MUSEUM

ATHUL KURAKAR VISITED
 THIRUVANANTHAOURAM ZOO AND MUSEUM

Thiruvananthapuram Zoo, one of the oldest in the country, was established as an annexe to the Museum in 1857 by the erstwhile Maharaja of Travancore in order to attract more visitors. This Zoo was originally set up for recreational purpose only. But with more and more loss of forest and wildlife in the process of human development, the goal of the Zoo changed from recreation to conservation. Today Zoos are seen as the last resort for endangered animals and birds. The Central Zoo Authority established in 1992 under the Ministry of Environment and Forest of India, enforces uniform management code to all the Zoos in the country and provide financial and technical support for the Zoos.Spread over in 55 acres of land located in the heart of the temple city of Thiruvananthapuram, the Zoo offers a rare opportunity for the visitors to experience and enjoy an unparalleled picturesque and panoramic sylvan surroundings besides vivid animal collections. The Zoo has around 75 different species of animals not only from India but from abroad also. It also has several species of animals and birds from Ethiopian and Australian Zoo geographic regions. The Lion tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Langur, Indian Rhino, Royal Bengal Tiger are prominent among the indigenous endangered fauna. Giraffe, Hippo, Zebra, Cape Buffalo are the guests from African region. It will usher in a new era with the completion of the ongoing modernisation works in the Zoo. Thrilling encounters with the animals out in their open air landscapes are becoming reality.

The Natural History Museum is housed in a modern spacious two stored building at an elevated ground at the eastern end of the Museum and Zoo complex. The varied and rich collections in Natural History which started with the personnel collection of minerals and books presented by General Cullen in 1885 has found satisfactory housing in this new building in 1964.
The Museum has separate galleries for Mammals, Birds, Lower Vertebrates,Invertebrates, separate room for Index collections, Skeleton gallery, Ethnology gallery Library, Laboratory and office accommodations. There is also an outdoor exhibit of Fossil tree trunks near the entrance of the Museum.

            The premises of Museums as well as the Zoo constitute Thiruvananthapuram Botanical Gardens.The gardens were laid originally by a well known British named Mr.Ingleby who was trained in Kew Gardens,London during 1900,s.The garden has more than 200 species of trees,thousands of ornamental plants,orchids,aunturiams in its diverse collection.It provides excellent opportunity for students of Botany to undertake various studies regarding plants.The garden  undertakes multiplication and sale eo ornamental plants to needy public at very reasonable price.The Museum Library situated in the Museums and zoo campus has been one of the oldest and valuable libraries in kerala,where a number of very rare books and manuscripts published during the last three centuries are kept for reference,al9ng with the bookshed recently.This library is used by the staff of museums and Zoo,students and teachers from colleges,research scholars from within the state as well as outside and innovative public alike.The library has valuable and very rare books published centuries back which are not available in any other libraries.

Athul Kurakar