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Nearly 50,000 visitors thronged the Byculla zoo in Mumbai over the long weekend, said officials. On Sunday alone, 20,478 people came to the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo in Byculla which had reopened its doors on February 10 after the third Covid-19 wave subsided. In the last four days, the zoo, charging an entry fee of Rs 50 per person, earned a revenue of over Rs 24 lakh, according to officials.
According to zoo officials, tigers in the underwater viewing gallery, leopards and penguins chicks continue to be the main attractions. The zoo is open from 9.30 am till 5 pm on all days.
Just before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the zoo had added two tigers from the Aurangabad zoo. They are kept in a 3,500 square-metre tiger enclosure, which has flora, fauna, landscape, underwater gallery, and terrain that replicates the Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan. It remains one of the major attractions for visitors.
After being shut since April 2021 due to the second Covid wave, the Byculla zoo was reopened for the public on November 1, 2021. According to official data, between November 1 and 22, the zoo recorded a footfall of 1,25,702 visitors resulting in revenue of Rs 50,96,450.
The penguin enclosure facility is equipped with chillers, CCTV cameras for 24/7 monitoring of the penguins, veterinarians and animal keepers, and engineers for care and management of the penguins and the enclosure. After the zoo welcomed two penguin chicks this year, there are nine flightless birds — Olive (7years), Popeye (6 years), Donald (5.5 years), Daisy (5.5 years), Molt (5 years), Flipper (8 years) and Bubble (5 years), Oreo (6 months) and an unnamed chick.
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