Vacations, new attractions behind increased footfall at Byculla Zoo
The Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Udyan & Zoo, also known as Byculla Zoo, has seen a steep increase in footfall during the summer vacation months, with over three lakh visitors in both April and May (till May 23). New attractions, including tiger cubs and the first underwater crocodiles and gharials viewing gallery in Asia, have contributed to the rise in visitors. The zoo has earned revenues of ?1.29cr in the first 23 days of May, compared to ?73lakh in March.
Mumbai: Summer vacations combined with new attractions have led to a steep hike in the footfall at the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Udyan & Zoo, also known as Byculla Zoo, which saw more than three lakh visitors each in the month of April and May (till May 23).
The zoo authorities said that it has registered a footfall of 3.08 lakh visitors in April and 3.38lakh visitors in May so far. The footfall rose substantially from March, when it recorded 1.78lakh visitors and February, which saw 2.32lakh visitors.
Zoo authorities have said that summer vacations clubbed with the new attractions like tiger cubs, penguin chicks and the new underwater crocodile viewing gallery are proving to be crowd pullers.
Dr Sanjay Tripathi, director of the zoo said, “The new crocodiles and gharials underwater gallery and the tiger cubs are two attractions, which have increased the footfall. We are able to manage the crowd well, it’s an overwhelming response.”
The zoo authorities recorded a revenue of ₹1.29cr in the first 23 days of May, ₹1.25cr in April, which was ₹73lakh and ₹89lakh in March and February, respectively.
On May 7, the Bycyulla Zoo opened Asia’s first-of-its-kind underwater crocodiles and gharials viewing gallery. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) inaugurated the ‘Croc trail’ where six reptiles are kept. The BMC’s first underwater viewing gallery provides the experience of an aquarium with reptiles like crocodiles and alligators in it.
The zoo completed its 160 years of existence on November 19, 2022. Recently in March, the Zoo had five new arrivals — three penguin chicks and two tiger cubs.
The Royal Bengal Tiger pair Shakti, 7, and Karishma, 9, birthed two cubs Jai and Rudra on November 4 last year. Meanwhile, three penguin chicks — Dora, Siri and Nemo — were also born in Byculla zoo.
Both Shakti and Karishma were shifted to Byculla Zoo from Siddharth Zoo in Chhattrapati Sambhajinagar in Aurangabad on February 11, 2020. The two cubs will be kept with Karishma for two years and are being fed the same meat as the mother.