The Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK), Mysuru, has taken the app-route to deal with the crisis faced by the zoos following the steep fall in revenue.
The mobile application which was launched on Wednesday can be downloaded from the Google Playstore or the Apple’s App Store and interested persons can contribute any amount starting from ₹50 to the zoos of their choice. The ZAK said it will acknowledge any contribution from the public.
Minister for Forests and Environment Anand Singh launched the app on the virtual platform on the occasion of World Tiger Day. Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the scion of erstwhile Mysuru royal family, who was the guest of honour, ZAK member secretary B.P. Ravi, and Mysuru zoo Executive Director Ajit Kulkarni were present.
Mr. Ravi said institutions and organisations that thrived by the support of the public are badly affected post-COVID-19 and zoos are no exception. People stopped visiting zoos, thus depriving them of revenue in the form of entry fees. The zoos under the ZAK used to attract about 6.5 million visitors annually. In 2019-2020, about ₹60 crore was realised from visitor’s entry fees with a footfall of 6.25 million.
Due to the dip in footfall during the current financial year, only ₹50 lakh was realised though the animal maintenance charges and salaries of staff remained the same, he explained.
Minister in-charge of Mysuru district and Minister for Cooperation S.T. Somashekar took special interest in the animal adoption scheme of the Mysuru zoo and helped to mobilise ₹3.50 crore from his friends, followers and people from his constituency as well as from AKKA (United States). So far, the ZAK managed to mobilise a donation of ₹4.25 crore for all nine zoos in the current year. “We thank all donors and appreciate their contributions in the noble cause of conservation,” said Mr. Ravi.
However, there were queries about animal adoption and mode of contribution in the social media with prospective donors expecting an easy mode of adoption and contribution to all zoos. “The common public often ask how they can be part of conservation efforts and ask if they can contribute ₹50 or 100. All these years, the zoos under ZAK survived only due to support of common people. Development activities at the Mysuru and Banneraghatta zoos are a testimony to support of millions of visitors all these years,” Mr. Ravi said.
The mobile app is the step towards making contributions to the zoos simple.
