Wildlife Week celebrations see a footfall of 10,000 at Chhatbir zoo

Tribune News Service

Mohali, October 8

Chhatbir zoo is one of the most happening places in the tricity these days with thousands of visitors, specially kids and youngsters, thronging the place for the last one week. More than 10,000 visitors have visited the zoo in the past one week.

The Wildlife Week-2021 celebrations have added a dash of novelty to the place with various interactive events being organised daily. The theme for the Wildlife Week this year is “Forests and livelihoods: Sustaining people and planet”.

The zoo authorities have made the entry free for all visitors. The reptile show held recently left visitors awestruck with the way experts handled python, monitor lizards and cobra for morphological identification.

Nikhil Sanger, honorary wildlife warden of Punjab, apprised visitors about various facts and ways to rescue reptiles.

Naresh Mahajan, Field Director, Chhatbir Zoo, said the activity was conducted to sensitise visitors about reptiles and their behaviour.

Also, a Zoo Keepers’ talk on elephants was organised at the front of the Elephant Complex. Parinay Agarwal, a Class IV student of a private school in Zirakpur, said, “This is the second time I am visiting the zoo with my parents. I really enjoyed seeing birds and animals so closely. Most of the time we see them on TV, but watching them in real life is thrilling.”

The wildlife awareness campaign, painting competition, quiz, online story writing and origami contest, videography, cycle rides, running events and expert talks will also be organised during the week.

Dinosaur Park, Nocturnal House, reptile enclosure and walk-in-aviaries are also drawing huge crowds.

The zoo authorities also distributed plants among teachers and students during the ongoing campaign.