Despite slow Christmas, Byculla Zoo saw significant rise in visitors in 2023

While in 2022, 1,77,246 people visited the zoo between December 25 and January 1, this year, the number dipped to 1,45,593, during the same period. Annual statistics however painted a positive picture.

Data from civic officials showed that in 2023, between January and December, over 30 lakh people visited with the maximum footfall recorded in May, when a record-breaking 4.5 lakh people visited the zoo.

For the record, in the financial year of 2022 (between April and March), 28.59 lakh people visited the Byculla zoo, generating an income of Rs. 11.15 crore.

Spread across approximately 53 acres, there has been an increase in visitors since the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) launched its revamp plan, which was first initiated in 2015.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Sanjay Tripathi, director of the zoo said, “Our revamp project is definitely the biggest reason for the increase in visitors. Apart from excellent facilities and clean premises, the tiger and hyena exhibits have gained a lot of traction. Even the bird paradise exhibit, which was launched a few years ago, appeals to people greatly.”

“This year, we also opened the ‘Croc Trail’ which is an underwater viewing gallery of crocodiles and gharials. In the past two years, we have introduced many new exhibits. Therefore, more people have been visiting the zoo,” he added.

Data showed that prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, during which the zoo was shut, only 10.6 lakh people visited between April 2019 to March 2020 while, between 2018 and 2019, there were 12.7 lakh visitors.

In a bid to further enhance the zoo, the civic body has now launched phase III of its revamp project. Having acquired seven acres of land including the Mafatlal Compound and the rest in the Poddar area, the expansion plan proposes to create a special “exotic zone” housing exotic animals such as giraffes, zebras, jaguars, white lions, wallabies and chimpanzees.

As part of the first phase, a 1,800-square-foot exhibit of Humboldt penguins was added to the zoo in 2017. Phase II, which launched in 2017, saw the construction of 17 animal exhibits as well as an aviary, which today houses over 100 bird species.