Kanpur Zoological Park or Allen Forest Zoo (Hindi: कानपुर चिड़ियाघर / कानपुर प्राणी उद्यान), also called the Kanpur Zoo is a {{convert|77|ha|sing=on}} zoo in Kanpur, a large city in Northern India. It is the largest open green space in Kanpur and the largest zoological park in North India. Originally a natural habitat for fauna, it is one of the few zoos in India created in a natural forest. The animals inhabited in the Zoological Park have been put in open and moated enclosures. The moated enclosures give the animal ample space for movement and help in expressing their biological and physiological expressions. The enclosures are screened by terrain in such a way that one enclosure is not visible from the other.

Location and hours

The Allen Forest Zoo is located about seven kilometers (5.2 miles) from the city’s center.^[4] In earlier colonial records, it is mentioned as being close to Nawabganj, a locality in Kanpur. The zoo is an oasis of green, featuring a natural lake and ancient trees, and encompasses the largest land area of any zoological garden in Asia.

The zoo is open for visitors on all days from 9 am to 4:30 pm, except on Mondays. Given its vast size, private four-wheeler vehicles are not allowed inside of the zoo. Two Electric cars are available on payment of rs.30 per person or rs. 210 for a 50 mins ride. Plastic bags are strictly banned inside of the zoo, and water is provided in coolers instead of in plastic bottles. Water, snacks and ice cream is available in plenty.

History

The Zoological Park in Kanpur, (earlier Cawnpore) was the brainchild of a botanist Sir Allen, a member of the British Indian Civil Service. Sir Allen wanted to open the zoo in a natural forest, but his plans were stuck in bureaucratic red-tape and did not materialize. When the zoo at last opened in 1971 by the government of independent India, it was named after him.

Allen forest was developed during the British rule between the years 1913-1918 by George Burney Allen, a famous British industrialist of Kanpur on the banks of the river Ganges. The zoo was constructed from 1971-1973. The first animal to arrive at the zoo was an otter caught by a fisherman from the Chambal River.

In 1975, the first appointed doctor of the zoo was Dr. Ashwani Kumar Tripathi, who graduated from the G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences. Dr. Tripathi contributed to efforts in introducing modern technology to keep the animals healthy. The enclosures for animals and birds were designed on the latest trends in the field of zoo building technology, well spread along the lake on either side of a semicircular arterial road of about 9 km. length.

The current director of the zoo is Mr. Krishna Kumar Singh (IFS)

Animals

Mammals at the zoo include white tigers, cheetah, leopard, jaguar, hyena, black bear, grizzly bear, sloth, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, monkeys, langur, baboons, musk deer, deer, zebra, and antelope.^[4] chimpanzees (including a 26-year-old named Chhajju) and orangutans (including a 30-year-old named Mangal) have their own island. Some monkeys and deer are allowed to roam outside the enclosures as natural inhabitants of the zoo.

Reptiles at the zoo include Indian gharial.

The lion at the zoo died of an unknown disease during November 2010. It is currently under consideration whether a current animal will be exchanged for a lion from a different zoo.

Attractions

Botanical garden

The zoo houses a botanical garden with a collection of some of the country’s rare species of plants that is dotted with sylvan lakes. The zoo grounds are also professionally maintained by forest conservationists, and it records large attendance from all age groups and communities in Kanpur. It is a popular destination for picnics, nature walks, and outdoor recreation, as well as teaching school students about natural habitats, environmental issues, and responsible eco-friendly living.

Lake

A rainwater lake is the centre of attraction at Allen Forest, and visitors can see hundreds of deer grazing in open savannah-like land without fear of any predator.

Aviary

The Aviary includes birds from all over the world, including parrots, cranes, parakeets, African ostriches, emus from Australia and New Zealand, various Indian birds, as well as birds from Europe and Latin America.

Night house

Night creatures are housed in a separate building. These include porcupines, toddy cats (Asian palm civet), and other nocturnal animals.

Aquarium

The zoo includes an aquarium.

Life size dinosaur sculptures

There are life size sculptures of pre-historic dinosaurs.

Toy train

The Allen Forest has a toy train in place for which railway station and tracks are laid at the zoo. The project is a valuable addition to the zoo but as a cost the forest had to suffer a huge loss of greenery.^[2]

Conservation

The zoo includes a veterinary hospital that treats up to 1,400 animals at a time, including hyenas, jaguars, and elephants that are brought into the zoo, usually after bad encounters with humans.^[7]

Vehicles are allowed inside the zoo, but there is extra charge for this. Plastic water bottles and polythene bags are banned inside the park. Although photography is permitted, the zoo discourages visitors from feeding animals except in designated areas.

Sponsors

The zoo authorities encourage local Kanpur and Uttar Pradesh based industrialists to take interest in the development and preservation of the ecological heritage of the Kanpur Zoo and its potential for development as a rare natural habitat based zoo.

See also

• Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Prani Udyan
• Shaheed Ashfaq Ullah Khan Prani Udyan
• Etawah Safari Park

References