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A total of 34 elephants have
lived at this zoo, many of which were eventually transferred to other
zoos. The zoo also has five green anacondas, contributed by Colombo Zoo.
It also has giraffes, zebras, lions, tigers, white rhinoceroses, and
baboons.
The Karanji Lake which covers
77.02 acres is located on the eastern side of the zoo. The Chamundi
Hills act as catchment and provides a dramatic backdrop.
Previously the tank was almost a garbage dump being used by all and
sundry for each and every function. There was no bird life but for
scavengers, crows, and the entire area was a slum. As such it was in
constant danger of being taken over by developers for real estate
development.
The tank was handed to Mysore
Zoo in March 1976 by public works department for development and
maintenance.
The tank is situated on
north-east side of Mysore city. It functions as a percolation tank.
After the protection and afforestation in the foreshore area, the tank
started attracting a variety of birds for breeding & nesting activities.
About five acres of prime zoo land has been donated to the Natural
History Museum, which will enhance the educational potential of the zoo
by offering people a rare opportunity to study natural history of wild
animals, aquatic birds and tropical vegetation, etc.
Getting There
Getting to Mysore is easy with
good road and railway connectivity. Buses ply in and around Mysore pretty
frequently. A good way to spend around is local buses or to hire an all day
tourist cab. Look up the services online for Mysore travel guide.
Auto-rickshaws ply everywhere, but you'll have to insist on using going by
the meter.
Mysore Airport is
the nearest domestic airport connecting it with major cities of India. The
Airport is located about 12 km (7 miles) south of Mysore city. Air India
Regional operate in this Airport since 3 September 2015, with six weekly flights to
Bengaluru.
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