Bhubaneswar: Nandankanan Zoological Park and State Botanical Garden will be reopened for visitors from tomorrow onwards.
In view of the cyclonic storm Dana, the Nandankanan Zoo and State Botanical Garden were closed to visitors from October 24 to October 25, 2024 to ensure the safety of the park & its inmates.
During the period, the Zoo authority ensured that all animals were housed in feeding cells and safe shelters during the predicted time of cyclone. Required feed items were pre-stored for the zoo animals, officials said.
A total of 25 teams (containing 100 staff members) were camped at 25 locations within the Zoological Park (24X7) to ensure the safety of animals and enclosures, monitored by a senior forest officer.
A total of 7 mobile teams (45 staff members, including OISF and outsourced Para military personnel) were on duty to ensure emergency operations, under the supervision of ACF (VM) and RO (Security & Management). These squads were provided with vehicles and essential equipment, they said.
Four control rooms were operational for two days to coordinate all activities. Service of all staff of Nandankanan Zoological Park & State Botanical Garden have been utilised properly during the above said period.
Through the above said measures, the security of the zoo animals and all infrastructure of the park have been ensured during the above said challenging time. No injury /casualty of animals happened, they informed.
However, Similipal Tiger Reserve in Mayurbhanj district will remain closed for another three days till October 28 as heavy rainfall reported in the forest, an official said.
In view of cyclone Dana, the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) authority earlier closed it for visitors and tourists from October 23 to October 25. The tiger reserve was supposed to reopen on Saturday.
However, due to heavy rainfall reported in the area, the authority has now extended the closure period by another three days, the STR official said.