Srinagar, August 11: Javed Ahmed Rana, Minister of Water Power, Forest, Ecology and Environment and Tribal Affairs, presided over a meeting to review the functioning of Jambu Zoo at the Civil Secretariat today and to discuss his expansion plans with the aim of increasing his appeal as a major tourist destination.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Forest, Ecology and Environment, Sheetal Nanda (through video conferencing), Chief Wildlife Warden Sarvesh Rai and other senior officials personally participated.
The minister said that Jambu zoo has rapidly emerged as a major tourist attraction. He emphasized the need for focused efforts to unlock his full capacity and significantly increase the visitor footfall. He insisted that the development of the zoo should be directed from a point of view to make it world -class attraction through permanent practices and innovative visitor facilities.
He asked the authorities to prepare strategies that promote the appearance during the summer months, which usually see a decline due to high temperatures.
The minister suggested to include climate-northwest characteristics such as shaded recreational zones, green tunnels, tensile sheds, interactive indoor performance and well-prepared promotional campaigns to attract visitors.
While reviewing the ongoing upgradation works, Rana instructed the concerned departments to work in close coordination to complete all the initiatives and to complete the quality that contributes to a rich visiting experience. He outlined the importance of including all the concerned departments in the development strategy for more integrated and effective results.
The minister also emphasized that animal welfare should remain a main priority for the zoo. He directed the authorities to install a strong monitoring system to ensure appropriate diet, nutrition and healthcare for all species to suit veterinary guidelines. This included maintaining high standards in food procurement, ensuring timely feeding schedule and regular health assessment.
He also instructed the authorities to prioritize the plantation of fruit-bearing trees in the premises to serve as a natural food source for select species, increase biodiversity, improve habitat quality and add to the overall visual visual and ecological appeal of the zoo.
Rana called for the implementation of green initiatives such as a zero-upheld policy and water conservation measures in the zoo. He also questioned the strength of existing employees and highlighted smooth operations, high standards of animal care and an enough, well to ensure an enough, well, well trained personnel needed to ensure an enlarged visitor experience.
Chief Wildlife Warden Sarvesh Rai made a detailed presentation on existing visitor facilities and underlined the ambitious expansion plans of the zoo. He informed the meeting that 11 new animal enclosures have already been completed and the remaining is going to be completed by December 2025.
Zoo is planning to introduce major species such as zebra, rhino, dull bear, snow leopard, red panda, primets and other domestic and foreign animals. The development plan also includes the implementation of Nature Trails, Elevated Walkway, Log Slums, Tree House, Themed Rest Zone, a toy train for children and smart zoo management systems.
One of the visitors will be a major upcoming attraction a fossil and dinosaur park that aims to provide an educational and entertaining experience for visitors. A immersive AR/VR setup will also be installed to allow guests to detect extinct and rare species in the fake environment.
Additionally, supervised feeding sessions with select species have been planned to further enrich visitor engagement.
During the meeting, it was also reported that one night safari would be introduced to diversify the visitor experience, expand operations and promote tourism and revenue creation at the zoo.
