Master Planning of Zoos - Central Zoo Authority

"Master Planning of Zoos" for Directors/Managers
working in recognized large, medium and small
category zoos in the country. The training
programme was held at Nandankanan Zoological
Park and Hotel Mayfair Lagoon, Bhubaneswar
from 11th-16th April, 2006.Twenty eight Zoo
Directors /Curators /Managers from different zoos
of the country participated in the training.
The presence and active support of some of the
prominent personalities encouraged every one
involved in the programme. Sri Naveen Patnaik,
Hon’ble Chief Minister,Orissa inaugurated this
training programme on 11th April, 2006 in the
especially organized inaugural function at
Nandankanan Zoological Park soon after the
inaugural release of tigers in their newly
constructed naturalistic enclosure. He delivered the
inaugural speech as Chief Guest and also released
Indian Zoo Year Book,Volume-IV, 2006(published
by Indian Zoo Directors’ Association and Central
Zoo Authority) and an information brochure on
Nandankanan Zoological Park on the occasion.
There were distinguished presence of Sri
R.P.S.Katwal, Additional Director General of
Forests(Wildlife), Ministry of Environment and
Forests, Govt. of India, Sri Prasanna Kumar
Patsani, Member of Parliament, Sri S.P.Nanda,
Principal Secretary, Forest and Environment
Department, Govt. of Orissa, Sri Suresh Chandra
Mohanty, Principal Chief Conservator of
Forest(Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden,
Orissa, Sri B.R.Sharma, Member Secretary,
Central Zoo Authority, Mr. Jon Coe Landscape
Architect and Zoo Planner(Australia), Sri
S.K.Patnaik, Member, Technical Committee, CZA
and others. Sri R.P.S. Katwal, Addl. D.G. of
Forests, MOEF, Govt. of India, presided over the
function. Sri S.C.Mohanty, Sri Prasanna Kumar
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Patsani, Sri R.P.S.Katwal and Dr. B.R.Sharma
delivered their speech in the inaugural function.
The vote of thanks was delivered by Sri
S.K.Sinha, Director, Nandankanan Zoological
Park.
During the training, it was stressed that it is high
time that a Master Plan is developed for the coordinated
growth of the zoo’s separate facilities
and functions. This also helps avoid unplanned or
adhoc development of the zoo. If future decisions
about the design and development of the zoo are
all made with respect to the precedent and
direction of the Master Plan, the future zoos will
likely to be a coherent , site specific and unique
institutions that fulfill identified goals. Therefore,
the Master Plan should be a beacon for the
development of zoo. However, the Master Plan
need to be reviewed and updated at least every
five years to keep pace with the on-going changes
and recent developments. There are large areas of
concern and there are widening gaps in promise
and delivery which are required to be bridged at
the earliest.
The training programme utilized the full benefit
of the presence of international experts as guest
speakers, Mr. Jon Coe (leading innovator of zoo
planning and design for over forty years and fellow
of American Society of Landscape Architects,
presently living and practicing in Australia) who
contributed to the planning of 57 zoos, botanical
gardens and nature parks in North America , Africa,
Middle East, Asia and Australia and Mr. Bernard
Harrison (Principal Partner, Bernard Harrison and
Friends Ltd., Singapore) who brings the
experiences of a Curator and a Manager in
Planning and operation of Singapore Zoological
Garden Zoos and Night Safari of Singapore.