A video featuring actor Darshan Thoogudeepa with an appeal to support the zoos of Karnataka that are badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic has received good response from fans and others as ₹43 lakh donation has been received in just two days.
The closure of all zoos due to lockdown resulted in zero revenue. All zoos, including Mysuru zoo and Bannerghatta Biological Park and smaller ones in Gadag Belagavi and other places, needed about ₹15 lakh to ₹20 lakh daily for their maintenance. The annual maintenance of the zoos comes up to ₹60 crore.
Out of the ₹43 lakh donation/adoptions of animals, Mysuru zoo got ₹23.81 lakh followed by Bannerghatta Biological Park ₹13 lakh.
The second wave hit the zoos even before they could recover from the first. The zoos had again appealed to the public to adopt animals and donate to help them sustain, amidst the unprecedented crisis.
Last year, the Mysuru zoo managed to raise ₹4 crore through public donations. The Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK) had launched a mobile app to help people make donations. The app managed to collect ₹5 lakh last year. Mr. Darshan had visited the Mysuru zoo on the occasion of World Environment Day.
ZAK member secretary B.P. Ravi said Mr. Darshan, who is an alumni of the Zoo Youth Club and has also adopted zoo animals, volunteered to help the zoos by appearing in a video that was uploaded on the ZAK’s social media platforms with an appeal by him to help the crisis-hit zoos.
The video was shared on June 5 marking the World Environment Day. The video went viral and donations started pouring in, amazing the zoo management.
In two days, nearly 35,000 downloaded the ‘Zoos of Karnataka’ app to make donations and adopt animals to support the zoos on Mr Darshan’s rousing appeal. In two days, a sum of Rs 43 lakh was raised showing how much people love the actor and his popularity, Mr. Ravi said.
Mr. Darshan, who planted saplings at the zoo, wore the Mysuru zoo T-shirt and shot the two-and-a-half minute video.
“Mr. Darshan naturally connects with the zoo being an animal lover. He was in the second batch of the youth club. The moment I and my zoo director requested him for the video appeal, he instantly agreed and modified the script to make it natural. We are thankful to him for being such a passionate supporter of the zoos of Karnataka,” Mr. Ravi said.
The actor’s fans and others have donated amounts ranging from ₹50 to ₹5,000. “The best part is Mr Darshan acknowledging his fans’ gesture and thanking them for their donation,” Mr Ravi said.
The unique feature of the app, developed by young engineers of Chamarajanagar, is that the adoption certificate is generated online and shared to the donor’s mobile phone or email.
Mr Ravi said the ZAK was expecting to receive more funds as the donations have continued to pour in.
Minister for Forest and Kannada and Culture Arvind Limbavali has thanked Mr. Darshan for his appeal. that resulted in record animal adoptions/donations in the zoos. “I express my appreciation to the actor for his concern towards the welfare of zoo animals. I also thank those who adopted animals and birds helping the zoos amidst the COVID-19 situation,” the Minister said, in a statement.
