Drop in footfall hits revenue at Pune’s Katraj Zoo; development programmes halted

The zoo was hoping to touch a revenue of Rs 5.50 crore for the current financial year, but that is unlikely due to drop in footfall and loss of revenue after the Covid-19 pandemic

Animal exchange and other development programmes at the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park and Wildlife Research Centre, Katraj, have come to a halt due to Covid-19 and drop in revenue.

On any normal weekday, the zoo would see 5,000-10,000 visitors while on weekends, the number would rise to 12,000-18,000 visitors. (Milind Saurkar/HT Photo)

Rajkumar Jadhav, the zoo’s director, said the centre had undertaken construction of four new cages for large cats like leopards and jungle cats and had finished about 80% of the work. However, that work remained incomplete due to the lockdown.

The animal exchange programme with the Hyderabad zoo to exchange a Royal Bengal tiger at the Katraj zoo with a white Royal Bengal tiger at Hyderabad zoo had not progressed, he said.

The zoo was hoping to touch a revenue of Rs 5.50 crore for the current financial year, but that is unlikely due to drop in footfall and loss of revenue after the Covid-19 pandemic, he said.

The zoo has remained closed to the public since March 14. On any normal weekday, the zoo would see 5,000-10,000 visitors while on weekends, the number would rise to 12,000-18,000 visitors, he said.

The zoo currently has 448 animals and about 100 staffers who keep the zoo guarded and take care of animals. Jadhav said the staff at the zoo has been coming regularly as they are also part of essential services, and have been provided with gumboots, gloves and masks while looking after animals or even otherwise.

Only the staff living in red zone areas are not allowed to come, he said.