Master Planning of Zoos - Central Zoo Authority

Technical Session I
Research
l The Central Zoo Authority in collaboration with Department of Bio-technology,
CSIR and Andhra Pradesh Forest Department has created Laboratory for
Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES) at Hyderabad. The Authority
has already invested Rs. 6.40 crores for creation of the facility.
l The main functions will be DNA fingerprinting of the zoo animals, frozen
zoos and assisted reproduction in endangered species. The facility is expected
to be inaugurated soon.
l The Central Zoo Authority has decided to provide financial assistance in the form
of small grant fellowships (upto Rs.2.00 lakhs per year for a period of three years)
to the zoos to conduct research/studies to deal with the local issues.
l The Central Zoo Authority has also decided to appreciate the innovative initiatives
taken up by different zoos for improvement of zoo. The financial grant upto Rs.2.00
lakhs will be provided for the furtherance of the innovative works.
l The Central Zoo Authority and Ministry of Environment & Forests is
considering creation of a Centre for Zoo Science in the National Zoological
Park, New Delhi. The Centre will be providing consultancy services to Indian
zoos and act as a referral centre providing trainings to the zoo personnel,
coordinate research activities and maintain studbook.
Training
l It has been decided to arrange short-term trainings for the zoo incharges and
zoo veterinarians in alternate years in collaboration with Wildlife Institute of
India, Dehradun and Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly.
l The short-term training programmes for middle level zoo officials will be
organized annually in collaboration with Wildlife Institute of India.
l The Central Zoo Authority is also sponsoring short-term training programmes
zoo keepers annually at seven locations on regional basis.
l The zoo directors are requested to attend and make their staff attend the training
programmes.
l The Central Zoo Authority is sending one zoo director and one zoo veterinarian
every year to Jersey, U.K. for three week training. More international agencies
are being conducted for more such trainings in future.
Indian Zoo Association (IZA)
l There is a need to have a national association representing Indian zoos (Indian
Zoos Association) with Membership from Indian zoos (institutional Members)
and Associations of zoo related professionals (Association Members).
l The Indian Zoo Association will deal with the issues like training of zoo
personnel, printing of zoo related literature, maintenance of studbook of
endangered species in Indian zoos etc.
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