History
Considered as the first public zoo in India, the Anna Zoological Park, which was founded in 1855, is located in Vandalur on GST Road and is also known as Vandalur Zoo. Initially the zoo was known as the Madras Zoo and was situated near Park Town within the city. However, with the expansion of the zoo by 1975, the zoo had to be moved out of the city.
Spread over an area of 602 hectares of lush greenery, the Anna Zoological Park boasts of 138 species of plants, and 46 endangered animal species, which once used to roam freely in the jungles of the Western Ghats. Some of the special features of this zoological park are Asiatic Lion enclosure, which can be explored through a 15-minute lion safari, Nocturnal Animals House, Reptile House, Pre-Historic Animal Park, a Zoo School and Otteri Lake.
The Anna Zoological Park is considered as a paradise for wildlife and bird watchers’ enthusiasts for the variety of species, which can be found in this park. Some of the rare and exotic animal species that can be found here are Asiatic Lion, Bengal Tiger, leopard, Nilgiri langur, lion-tailed macaque, capped langur, barking deer, hog deer, sangai and marsh crocodile among other species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians. And while you are watching these rare animals don’t forget to see the rarely-found water-monitor lizard, which is the second largest monitor lizard and also Starred Tortoise, called so because of the intricate patterns on its shell.
Otteri Lake offers excellent opportunities for bird watchers as the migratory birds like storks, ibis, herons and egrets visit this scenic lake in the months of winter. This apart, the Anna Zoological Park is the first park in the country to establish an Amphibian House which has various species of frog and some of them are Indian Tree Frog, Common Indian Toad, Indian Bull Frog, and Indian Cricket Frog among others.
Today the Anna Zoological Park is a habitat of variety of flora including cashew and eucalyptus trees, other than a variety of fauna and avian species that have made this park their home.
|
Trivia
Don’t forget to watch a wildlife documentary at the entrance of the zoo.
Interestingly, the Otteri Lake which receives winged visitors of the like of storks, ibis, herons and egrets between October and December, falls within the confines of the zoo.
|