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The Rajiv
Gandhi Zoological Park, commonly known as the Rajiv Gandhi Zoo, is
located in Katraj near the city of Pune in India. It is managed by the
Pune Municipal Corporation. The 130-acre (53 ha) zoo is divided into 3
parts: an animal orphanage, a snake park, and a zoo, and includes a
42-acre (17 ha) Katraj Lake.
History
In 1953 the Pune Municipal Corporation created Peshwe Park on about 7
acres (2.8 ha) where Madhavrao Peshwe had established a private
menagerie in 1770. Located in the heart of the city at the base of the
Parvati hills, this zoo exhibited animals in traditional cages. |
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In 1986,
Mr. Neelam Kumar Khaire (the first director of the park), with
assistance from the Pune Municipal Corporation, created the Katraj Snake
Park on land that was to become the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park.
In 1997, in order to create a more modern zoo in accordance with the
guidelines of the Central Zoo Authority of India, the municipality
selected a site in Katraj and started developing a new zoo. The zoo
opened in 1999 as the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park & Wildlife Research
Centre, and initially included only the reptile park, sambars, spotted
deer, and monkeys. Although it took until 2005, all of the animals from
Peshwe Park were eventually moved to the new site, and Peshwe Park was
closed.
The park also incorporates a rescue center for injured and orphaned
animals. It has run an Animal Adoption Scheme since October 2010.
Animals
This zoo has good collection of reptiles, mammals, and some birds. The
zoo has a white tiger and a male tiger named, "Tanaji". Other mammals at
the zoo include leopard, sloth bears, sambhars, barking deer, black
bucks, peafowl, monkeys, and elephants. Reptiles include Indian rock
python, cobra, snakes, vipers, and Indian crocodiles. Amphibians such as
Indian star tortoise also feature in the zoo.
The snake park has a large collection of snakes, reptiles, birds and
turtles. There are over 160 species of snakes, including a nine foot
long King Cobra. Information about the snakes is provided in Braille, as
well as more conventional formats, and the park includes a library. The
snake park has organized many snake festivals and snake awareness
programs to clarify doubts and destroy fears about this species. During
Nagpanchami, the Katraj Snake Park at Pune arranges programs to
discourage ill-treatment towards snakes.
Location
Slightly outside the city proper, the park is located along the Pune
Satara Highway near the Bharati Vidyapeeth University. The park is 8
kilometers from Pune, close to the Katraj Bus Depot. Six seat auto
rickshaws may be obtained from Swargate.
Getting There
By Air: Pune’s nearest airport located at Lohegaon,
Pune Airport, approximately
10 km from the city centre. Daily flights connect it to Mumbai and Delhi
as well as to other major cities such as Bangalore, Hyderabad and
Chennai. Private cabs, auto rickshaws or city-airport shuttle buses will
cover the distance from the airport to the city centre.
By Rail: Pune is one of the most important rail junctions in the Central
railways zone of Indian Railways. Plenty of trains connect it to major
destinations in the south, north and west of the country by mail,
express and superfast trains. The Deccan Queen and Shatabdi Express are
fast commuter trains from/to Mumbai, with travelling time of
three-and-a-half hours approximately.
By Bus: Maharashtra state roadways buses and buses operated by private
companies connect the different places in the state to Pune as well as
destinations in the neighbouring states of Karnataka, Goa and Andhra
Pradesh. Most people travelling to Pune from Mumbai, Nasik or Aurangabad
prefer to do so by road as the distance between Mumbai-Pune is 170 km,
Nashik-Pune 209 km and Aurangabad-Pune is 230 km.
The roads are well
maintained with conveniently located motels and service stations enroute.
Getting Around Pune
Metered taxis and auto rickshaws ply the city streets; the latter are
the most popular mode of transport in Pune as they are economical and
fast. Pune Municipal Transport (PMT) buses reach every part of the city
and the suburbs from the terminals at Swargate, Deccan Gymkhana, Pune
Station, Shivaji Nagar Station, M G Bus Stand, Pune Corporation and
Saras Baug.
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