A giant tortoise adds to attractions at Tata Steel Zoological Park. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Jamshedpur, May 10: The Tata Steel Zoological Society is again scouting for corporate houses and other outfits to adopt animal enclosures at Tata Steel Zoological Park.

The Society will soon write to selected organisations with data regarding different schemes on offer. Donations made to the zoo are entitled to tax exemption under section 80G of Income Tax Act, 1961.

“We will approach organisations to chip in with wildlife conservation. They can choose the amount they’d like to donate. The deficit will be borne by the Society,” said zoo director Bipul Chakrabarty.

Enclosures belonging to alligators, crocodiles, the nilgai, different primates, the sambhar, hippopotamuses, and wild hogs, as well as the aviary, are up for adoption.

The donations will be used for maintenance of cages. The minimum adoption amount per fiscal is Rs 10,000. However, there is no maximum ceiling. Currently, donations vary from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000.

Chakrabarty said the scheme helped promote conservation and the amount also curtails the zoo management’s cost by a small amount.

“The maintenance cost for animals is about Rs 25 lakhs per year. In 2010-2011, the donation amount was Rs 5 lakh. We never put pressure on anyone, but discourage one-time donors,” the zoo director added.

Now, zoo authorities are also eyeing fresh donors. Last year, there were three first-time donors and the zoo expects the numbers to increase this year.

Meanwhile, an event was organised yesterday on zoo premises with Rotary Club of Jamshedpur to help educate students on wildlife.

Around 160 students of five schools — Loyola School, Sacred Heart Convent School, DBMS English School, and Kerala Public School’s Mango and Kadma branches — took part in ‘Walk the Wild’ to learn about animals through games.