Aurangabad zoo eyes unique animal viewing facility

AURANGABAD: If the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has its way, you would soon be able to have 'nose-to-nose' contact with tigers, lions and the like - albeit a glass divide. The AMChas made a long-term zoo development master plan to improve facilities and services in its zoo that include special caves for lions and tigers, ultra-modern facilities for leopards and other state-of-the-art-facilities that was recently approved by the central zoo authority (CZA). The ambitious plan to install specially designed glass cabins for lions and tigers is also included in the master plan. 

AMC zoo consultant G D Khedkar said that the unique proposal was recently approved by the CZA in its April meeting in New Delhi. 

"If we could introduce it here in the garden, Siddhartha Garden zoo will be first place in India to have such a facility," he said. 

"Erecting a glass wall between the animals and the visitors would not only minimise disturbances to the zoo animals but also thrill the viewers," he said, adding that a design of two caves with glass wall was ready. Khedkar said it might be a reality by 2015. 

Zoo in charge B S Naikwade said that the AMC was mulling various initiatives. 

"The proposal of fitting glass caves is at a nascent state. It may take a couple of years but the AMC has already incorporated it in the master plan," he said.