Nandankanan Zoo to observe Elephant Day
Bhubaneswar, Oct 2 : The Nandankanan Zoological Park authorities will release two
tiger cubs for public viewing and mark October 4 as "Elephant Day" to creat awarness about
the importance of animals as the wildlife-week began today.
Zoological Park Director Ajit Patnaik said the elephant day will be observed with a
view to educating the people about the rising incidents of man-elephant conflict, the
status of pachyderm in the state, their conservation and their role in the ecosystem.
He said a campaign was being organised to educate the people about the importance for
protection the jumbo population.
A special kit, developed by the ZOO, Coimbatore on the human-elephant conflict,
elephant etiquette, elephant manner would be used to propagate their need in the society,
he said.
On October 4, the elephants would be adorned with special customized apparel of Pipili
and special dishes like plenty of banana and coconut, the Director said.
''Ananta'' the orphaned elephant-calf, which was rescued from Keonjhar when it was only
3 months and rehabilitate at Nandankanan will be the star attraction of the
celebration.
Mr Patnaik said the Mahout who successfully hand reared ''Ananta'' would also be
felicitated on the day.
The Director said the two tiger cubs born to ''Sailaja'' seven months back would be
launched for public viewing at a special enclosure during the week. The naming ceremony of
the two tiger cubs would also be done by the school children during the period.
Mr Patnaik said more than 5,000 visitors and school children are expected to
participate in the event.
The school children are targeted for this special awareness campaign and their entry to
the Park is free, he said.
Several other organisations like Chandaka Wildlife Division, Nature and Wildlife
Conservation Society Orissa, Orissa Environment Society, WWF Orissa and CEE, Eastern
Regional Cell, Orissa, Zoo Outreach Organisation, Coimbatore have given their consent to
join with Nandan Kanan Zoo to celebrate the function in a grand manner.
A special brochure developed by the DFO wildlife Chandaka Division would be distributed
to the visitors.
--UNI
