Vandalur Zoo, Chennai

Published in "Windows & Aisles"


Vandalur Zoo --- Heavenly Sanctuary
Words: 1690




Twin elephants at the entrance on granite pillars welcome as we enter the verdant sprawl, Chennai’s Arignar Anna Zoological Park, more popularly known as Vandalur Zoo that faces NH 45 or Grand Trunk Road, 32 km from the city. It is the month of May and Chennai is in the thick of its summer heat. But not to be bogged down by the inclement weather, we brave a visit to the zoo, one of South Asia’s largest, heading for it in its opening hour. An artistically landscaped façade with rocks, waterfall and avenue of green trees beckons us to enter its portals. As we step out into this huge wooded land, we spot bicycles for hire next to the Tamilnad Hotels, the caterers for the zoo. It is apparent that the caretakers of the zoo have already been at work. The pathways are clean and something quite unusual for a tourist spot in India, litter is conspicuous by its absence. Even as we tour the place for the best part of the next six hours, we observe that attendants are constantly on the move with brooms and sweeps, ensuring clean precincts.

The silence of the morning is broken only by bird calls, a wild “cacophony” of sounds, each with its own rhythm and beat, yet a symphony that does not appear entirely discordant. We begin our explorative sojourn of the zoo with the avian world and its exotic creatures. While the cockatiels, cockatoos, macaws, budgerigars, hornbills, golden pheasants and peacocks show off their brilliant plumage, it is the peafowl that catches our attention as it obliges us with a scintillating display of its open feathers, spotlessly white, doing a wee trot here, a little waltz there. Unfortunately for camera bugs like me, the bird enclosures have narrow and closely packed meshes that do little to help us squeeze the lenses through them to capture these ‘flighty’ species. Well, I resign myself to shooting what best I can, but thoroughly enjoy watching these busy bodies that constantly flit from one corner of the corral to the other. Of course, I must say that a tiny yellow budgerigar perhaps felt sorry for me and gratified me with a beautiful “peeping Tom” look from a pot hanging in his enclosure. My husband and I lost no time capturing him on our lenses before he could change his mind and fly away.

The shutterbug in me is delighted at the walk-in aviary that boasts pelicans, several species of storks, cranes and herons, spoonbills and flamingoes. Watching these birds is a visual delight as many of them swoop and leap, flaring their coloured plumage in a dance, all their own – perhaps in courtship or in play. If a couple of cranes seem to practice Suryanamaskar or Vrikshasana, there are others that with aerodynamic grace glide up and down their high enclosures displaying the skills they are best at.

The Australian migrants – the bushy emu and cassowary are a major attraction at the zoo, even as some rural visitors debate whether they could be the country cousins of the ostrich. Perhaps these immigrants are yet to get used to their home away from home and seem to fight shy of meeting us ‘aliens’! We barely get to catch a wholesome look at their faces as their heads remain bowed down, earthward. I nevertheless take aim and shoot them in whatever pose they are willing to oblige and make my way towards the wild forest dwellers.

We walk a long avenue that showcases a variety of monkeys on its left and several deer species on its right. Well laid out pathways with signboards at every turn enable us to go round the huge park with ease. Abundant greenery and dense tall trees line the park in avenues, forming welcome canopies for visitors, providing respite from the scorching Chennai summer. While the trees bear placards with their names and information about them, the animal enclosures also have boards giving crisp details about each creature, its habitat, feeding and breeding habits.

As we enter the world of the wild, it is at once evident that the animals are provided ambient environs with ample naturalscape to roam and breed, their freedom not fettered by caged enclosures. We see them in open island types surrounds with wet and dry moats, hidden walls with simulated natural environment. We first come upon a pair of sloth bears, ambling aimlessly in the large verdure meant for them. One of them locks gaze with us as we click away with our cameras. He is most scornful of our “brave” feat, and opens wide his mouth as if to say, “Hey, be a bit more brave and you could be my breakfast!” A few yards away we come upon a pair of Himalayan bears, vigorously pacing the grounds, impatiently awaiting their midday meal.

The primate segment of the zoo boasts several species including the lion-tailed macaque, baboon, Nilgiri and the Common langur, chimpanzee, each engaged in his particular antics. The chimp gives a mock growl at his visitors and even threatens a huge leap should they spoil for a fight with him! Our attention is divided between these pranksters and the herd of deer on the opposite side. We watch a pair of barking deer lock horns in a gentle fight, while a herd of their spotted cousins engage in an agitated brainstorming session!

While we watch in fascination the king of the jungle, handsome in this thick, bushy mane, we are more mesmerized by the pacing, prowling, roaring tiger, thunderous in his every move. Another feline that has us intrigued is the leopard panther. Perhaps satiated by a belly full of meat, it is enjoying an open-eyed siesta, watching the world go by. The spectators, their banter and laughter – it appears oblivious and remains unfazed by whatever is happening around it. We move on, to see the more gentle creatures of the jungle – the zebras and giraffes. They hold their own, gracefully grazing and nibbling at the greens available to them.

As we move on to the world of reptiles, we stop to see porcupines, pangolins, wolves, dholes, otters, hyenas, bisons, several feline and canine species and jumbo and baby elephants. The reptilian world is no less fascinating than the rest of the zoo. We are surprised to see several species of crocodiles including the Morlet, American alligators, marsh muggers and gharials look menacing even as they appear to laze innocuously in their watery pools. A separate cavern-like structure houses many species of snakes including the rock python, cobras, vipers, boas, krai8ts, python, monitor lizards and many others. The enclosure for the king cobra has an air conditioner fitted, as it cannot stand the summer heat.

We spot plenty of visitors move around the zoo in noiseless and pollution-free battery operated two-wheelers and buggies, available on hire as one of the many facilities provided by the zoo authorities. Several youngsters perch themselves on pedal bikes, also obtained on rent from the zoo premises, to cover its vast area. We, my husband and I, choose to savour every inch of the surrounds on foot, resting our tired legs once in a couple of hours at one of the many shelters built in various pockets of the Park. One must commend the various facilities available at the zoo which is visitor friendly. Rest rooms, shelters and drinking water outlets are spread throughout the length of the Park. Many of the water spouts are aesthetically built and take the shape of animals exhibited in the region where they are located.

For a little history of the Arignar Anna Zoological Park, it is India’s first zoo and was established in 1855. It was originally located near Chennai Central Railway station in a small area. In the wake of urbanization, air and sound pollution threatened many of the species, several of which died due to disease. Consequently, plans were formulated to maintain these animals in healthy simulated environs. Thus came into being the Vandalur Zoo in the Vandalur Reserve Forest, in an area of about 510 hectares, opened to public in 1985. The area was later expanded to include another 90 hectares.

The vegetation of the zoological park is dry evergreen forests, including bamboo. Almost 140 plant species lie sprawled in the huge acreage under the park. It is heartening to observe that the natural vegetation of the region has been kept intact with roads, pathways and other structures built into the system without damage or destruction to the indigenous flora.

All the enclosures in the zoo are well protected with thatched roofs, fresh river sand on the floors, to enable the animals cope with the torrid heat of Chennai summer. We learn that caves directly exposed to sunlight are generously showered with water twice daily.

Several threatened and endangered species of the Eastern and Western Ghats are preserved here, provided with ambient conditions to breed and survive. The zoo discharges the role of Species Bank and Gene Bank for a wide variety of plants and animals. It is a research centre of sorts with the existence of technical and scientific facilities for propagation and introduction of endangered species to their original habitat.

Vandalur Zoo is a well kept reserve where apparently much importance is given to keeping the precincts clean and tidy. A neatly laid out and elaborate parking area enables every kind of vehicle – from two wheelers to tourist buses – to park without difficulty. It is heartening to note that in an endeavour to preserve the cleanliness of the zoo environs, only two restaurants (both outlets of Tamilnad Hotels) are located in its precincts, within a kilometer of each other.

The other attractions include the lion safari, zoo museum, aquarium, butterfly house, insectarium, prehistoric animal park showcasing lifesize models of prehistoric creatures, amphibian breeding centre and several exotic birds and animals, many of them not indigenous to India. The zoo, with over 180 animal species is certainly a must-visit, especially for students who can obtain a membership to the student zoo club and get trained in wildlife management, conservation and learn interesting facts related to animal behaviour, adaptations and ecosystems.

*******