Opening up doors

Ranchi, Oct. 4: Individuals have overtaken NGOs and wild-life societies in responding to a public notice by the Birsa Zoological Park at Ormanjhi in Ranchi that claimed all wild animals, birds and reptiles at the zoo had been put up for adoption.

“We have received at least 50 individual enquiries over the past two weeks. We are overwhelmed,” zoo director P. Kumar told The Telegraph.

Representatives of various NGOs have also been enquiring of the rates and terms for adoption, he added.

Before we allow the adoptions to begin, all offers would have to be in writing for which proper formats, that take care of all legal aspects, would be drawn up, Kumar said, adding that the adoption project would begin in the next fiscal.

“Over the next month, we would be able to frame the rates and terms and conditions for adoptions. All aspects are being looked into, including the prevailing norms currently applicable world-wide, as well as those in force at the zoos in Jamshedpur, Mysore and Lucknow. Once we finalise our internal rules, we will disclose it,” Kumar said.

Those interested would be free to pick their favourites.

The zoo includes three elephants, three lions, a tiger, 38 cheetahs, 17 black bucks, six Himalayan black bears, 33 monkeys, three pythons, a crocodile and three alligators.

In addition, it has nine peacocks and two pelicans and golden pheasants each.