Central Zoo | |
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Red Panda in Central Zoo, Nepal | |
27°40′23″N 85°18′39″E / 27.6731849°N 85.3109334°E / 27.6731849; 85.3109334 | |
Date opened |
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Location | Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, Nepal |
Land area | 6 ha |
No. of animals | 1292 |
No. of species | 109 |
Annual visitors | 1,000,000 |
Website | Central Zoo NTNC |
The Central Zoo (Nepali: सदर चिडियाखाना) is a 6-hectare (15-acre) zoo in Jawalakhel, Nepal. It is home to some 969 animals in 109 species, and is operated by the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC). Although it was originally a private zoo, it was opened to the public in 1956.
During the Bhoto Jatra festival, celebrated near the zoo, the zoo may see upwards of 34,000 visitors in a single day after they come to see a historical jeweled vest at the culmination of the Rato Machchhindranath Jatra.
History
The Central Zoo was established in 1932 by Rana Prime Minister Juddha Shumser as a private zoo; it came under government control in 1950. It was built under the engineering and project management of General Maheshwar Shamshere Rana (PM Juddha Shamshere's grandson) and his handpicked skilled and unskilled workforce. It was opened to the public in 1956, and in December 1995, the government handed over responsibility of the zoo to the National Trust for Nature Conservation. Although work is not complete, the NTNC has been upgrading the facilities so that animals can live in larger enclosures that simulate their natural environment. It is also working towards turning the zoo into a research and educational facility, as well as remaining a tourist attraction.
The central pond at the zoo is older than the zoo itself. It was built in the seventeenth century during the rule of King Siddhi Narsingh Malla, and at one time was the source of water for Patan.
Animals
The zoo is home to about 870 animals in 109 species, including 15 of 38 endangered local species including Royal Bengal tigers and one-horned rhinoceros, as well as many animals from around the world including hippos, siamang, ostriches, chimpanzee, lemur, and many birds. It also has an aquarium for subtropical fish.
Mammals
Mammals at the zoo include:
Endangered Species
- Asian Elephant
- Indian Rhinoceros
- Wild Water Buffalo
- Bengal Tiger
- Snow Leopard
- Clouded Leopard
- Striped Hyena
- Red Panda
- Blackbuck
- Swamp Deer
Carnivora Species
- Himalayan black bear
- Common Palm Civet
- Golden Jackal
- Himalayan Palm Civet
- Indian Leopard
- Indian Mongoose
- Jungle cat
- Large Indian Civet
- Leopard Cat
- Sloth Bear
- Small Indian Civet
Artiodactyl Species
- Himalayan Blue Sheep
- Four-horned Antelope
- Himalayan Goral
- Hippopotamus
- Indian Muntjac
- Indian Hog Deer
- Nilgai (blue bull)
- Sambar Deer
- Small Indian Civet
- Spotted Deer
- Wild Boar
Primate Species
Rodent Species
Reptiles
Reptiles at the zoo include:
- Aldabra Tortoise, Aldabrachelys gigantea
- Chinese Alligator, Alligator sinensis
- Gharial, Gavialis gangeticus
- Indian Pond Turtle, Melanochelys trijuga
- Indian Roofed Turtle, Pangshura tecta
- Bengal Monitor, Varanus bengalensis
- Mugger Crocodile, Crocodylus palustris
- Asian Rock Python, Python molurus
- Tricarinate Hill Turtle, Melanochuelys tricarinata
- Yellow-headed Temple Turtle, Heosemys annandalii
Birds
Birds at the zoo include:
- Albino Peacock
- Alexandrine Parakeet
- Bar-headed Goose
- Black Kite
- Black-headed Ibis
- Black-necked Stork
- Blue Rock Pigeon
- Blue-and-yellow Macaw
- Chestnut Munia
- Chukar Partridge
- Cockatiel
- Comb Duck
- Common Crane
- Common Emerald Dove
- Common Kestrel
- Common Ostrich
- Common Quail
- Demoiselle Crane
- Dusky Eagle Owl
- Barn Owl
- Emu
- Eurasian Eagle Owl
- Fantail Pigeon
- Golden Pheasant
- Great Horned Owl
- White Pelican
- Grey Heron
- Grey Parrot
- Greylag Goose
- Guinea Fowl
- Himalayan Monal
- Himalayan Griffon Vulture
- Indian Silverbill
- Java Sparrow
- Kalij Pheasant
- Lady Amherst Pheasant
- Lesser Adjutant
- Lesser Whistling Duck
- Love Bird
- Myna
- Oriental Pied Hornbill
- Peacock
- Rainbow Lorikeet
- Red Munia
- Red-breasted Parakeet
- Reeve's Pheasant
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Rose-ringed Parakeet
- Ruddy Shelduck
- Salmon-crested Cockatoo
- Sarus Crane
- Satyr Tragopan
- Silver Pheasant
- Speckled Pigeon
- Spoonbill
- Spotted Munia
- Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
- White Cockatoo
- White Stork
- White-naped Crane
- Wood Duck
- Zebra Finch
Central Zoo animal overview
Animals in the Central Zoo of Nepal are in the following categories and numbers, as of April 2011:
Categories | Species | Number |
---|---|---|
Mammals | 43 | 200 |
Reptiles | 9 | 21 |
Fishes | 14 | 232 |
Birds | 80 | 500 |
Total | 146 | 953 |
Other facilities
The zoo includes a library, a children's small fun park, picnic areas and paddle boats on the lake. Fishing is allowed in the lake during some parts of the year.
Gallery
- Himalayan Griffon
- Golden Pheasant male
- Male Ring-necked Pheasant
- Crimson-horned pheasant (Male)
- Chukar Partridge
- Great White Pelican
- Gharial
- Eurasian Eagle Owl
- Hippopotamus
- Indian Elephant
- Hornbill
- Albino Porcupine
- Asian Rock Python
- Bengal Tiger
References
- ^ "Central Zoo in Jawalakhel". nepal.com. Nepal.com. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
- ^ "Central Zoo". ntnc.org.np. National Trust for Nature Conservation. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
- "Central Zoo". ntnc.org.np. National Trust for Nature Conservation.
- ^ "The Show Must Go On". ecs.com.np. ECS Media Pvt Ltd. June 2011. Archived from the original on 17 October 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
- Joshi, Sushma (26 August 2004). "On the Road with the Red God". sushma.blogspot.com. Sushma Joshi. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
- ^ "Central Zoo: The Only Zoo of Nepal". colorfulnepal.com. Colorful Nepal. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
- "Mammals". Central Zoo. Archived from the original on 27 September 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
- "Pawan Kali at Kathmandu Central Zoo in Nepal". The Elephant Database. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
- "Endangered one-horned rhinos fail to thrive in Central Zoo". Himalayan Times. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
- "Wild buffalo under threat at CNP". Himalayan Times. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
- "Tigers kept in 'fasting' at central zoo". República Nepal. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
- "Nepal's 'low-altitude' snow leopard would face big hurdles in return to wild". OnlineKhabar. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
- "Meet Nepal zoo's beloved red pandas who cannot survive without air conditioning". OnlineKhabar. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
- "Chimpanzee house opens at Central Zoo". National Trust for Nature Conservation. 24 April 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- "Reptiles". centralzoo.info. National Trust for Nature Conservation. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
- Durga Datt Joshi (2007). Welfare Assessment of Wildlife Animals and Birds in Central Zoo of Kathmandu, Nepal (PDF) (Second ed.). Kathmandu: National Zoonoses and Food Hygiene Research Centre; World Society for Protection of Animals (WSPA). ISBN 99933-49-55-0. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 July 2022.
- "Common Monitor Lizard". Central Zoo. Archived from the original on 27 September 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- "Birds". Central Zoo. Archived from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- "Central Zoo official website". Archived from the original on 2013-01-27. Retrieved 2013-07-15.