"Encounter diverse wildlife in a historic setting."
Delhi Zoo is the most apt place for all the animal lovers as it is an enclosed structure wherein animals of different species are kept on display. This way it solves the dual purpose of being a tourist attraction and also keeping the animals safely. Delhi Zoo is a home to 1350 animals representing almost 130 species on a land of 176 acre or 71 hectares.
Delhi Zoo has been designed for the convenience of the visitors as they can explore it on foot or enjoy it on a battery operated vehicles, which can be taken on rent at the zoo. They also have a few important rules to its rule book and it is made sure that the rules are followed by the visitors. Some of the important rules are that apart from drinking water, nothing else is permitted to be taken inside the zoo. However, there is a full-fledged canteen to cater to the hunger demands of the visitors. One of the important rules is that people are not allowed to go too near to the cages of especially the wild animals or to irritate them.
History
The idea of creating a zoo in Delhi was much older than its execution. It was in 1951 that the idea of having a zoo in the heart of India, New Delhi. However, its inauguration dates to November 1959. A committee was appointed in the year 1952 by the Indian Board for Wildlife for the development of the zoo. The idea of the Government of India was to construct the zoo and then make it a functioning enterprise. It was in 1953, when the exact site of the zoo was finalized by the esteemed committee which was formed for a similar purpose. After the finalization of the location of the zoo, the project of creating of the zoo was assigned to N. D. Bachkheti of the Indian Forest Service.
The end of the year 1959 marked the completion of the Northern Part of the zoo and also it was then that the animals that were sheltered in pen homes were finally shifted to their permanent homes. Officially the park was inaugurated in 1959 as the Delhi Zoo, however, the name was further changed to National Zoological Park with the belief that it would act as a model for other zoos thriving in the country.
Exhibits
Taking a left from the very entrance of the zoo will make one land into the enclosures of the animals wherein the animals will range among Chimpanzee, Hippopotamus, Spider Monkey, African Wild Buffalo, Giraffes, Gir Lion, and Zebras. To the left of the entrance one will find certain migratory birds like peafowl, as well as hyenas, macaques, and jaguars in addition to the other animals. For the water birds, specific swamps have been developed to provide them with the feel of their original habitat.
Conservation breeding
The most significant part of the zoo is that it supports the conservation breeding programs of animals like Central Zoo Authority for the Royal Bengal Tiger, Indian Rhinoceros, Swamp Deer, Asiatic Lion, Brow Antlered Deer, and Red Jungle Fowl.
