Your deer friend is the most adopted at Chhatbir Zoo

Asked about the astrological significance behind adopting a deer,city-based astrologer Ashish Puri said,“We mostly suggest a person to feed a deer when certain corrections related to planet mercury are required. However,the reason for asking to do so varies from person to person.”

“We had started the scheme with a sole purpose of increasing the attachment of people living in urban areas with wildlife. Though this scheme is not very popular,many people usually come to adopt an animal because a pandit has asked them to,” said Harpal Singh,Block Officer (Animal Management) at the zoo.

Even some Australian players playing in the IPL recently visited the zoo and donated Rs 25,000 to the zoo. “They were on a visit to the zoo during one of the IPL matches. After they visited the zoo,all the players collectively donated to the zoo,” an official said.

“When the adoption scheme had started,only the corporate houses had come up for adoption of animals. Then an educational institution had adopted a peacock as they wanted to make it their logo,” said Field Director Dr Munish Kumar.

He said that students of Saint Johns School,Sector 26,had also adopted many animals like a Himalayan black bear,a tiger and a leopard. “Students of kindergarten usually collect money and adopt animals. They then keep in touch to inquire about their animals. Their class even comes for a visit every now and then,and the children get happy to see an adoption board of their class outside an enclosure,” said Singh.

The field director said that the scheme was not very popular as yet. “It was started in 2010 but not many people come for adoption. We are planning to tie up with some corporate houses so that this scheme can be popularised,” he said.

There are 32 animals which one can adopt in the zoo. These include Indian lion,Bengal tigers,elephants,hippopotamus,Himalayan black bears,Gaur,wild buffalo,crocodile and emu. A yearly adoption fee of an elephant is Rs 25 lakh followed by a hippopotamus which costs Rs 1.8 lakh. On the other hand,one can adopt a dove by paying only Rs 371 a year. According to the scheme,one can also gift an animal to a family member or a friend.