The Indira Gandhi Zoological Park
The Indira Gandhi Zoological Park is a good location to spend time with animals - particularly Sunday mornings. The one of the largest Zoological Park in Andhra Pradesh - next only to the one in Hyderabad and has a rich and varied collection of Wild Species including the Indian Tiger, Deer, Elephants and other attractions from Australia. Spread over 425 Acers of Land, the Zoo park is a host for over 400 varieties of animals.
On Jan 1, 2000, there a news attraction to the Zoo Park. A Special Mini-Train was installed to facilitate people to watch the wild life in a open top train. The Train which runs of rubber wheels was installed at a cost of Rs. 8.5 Lakhs.
Reaching the Park
The Zoo Park is nearly a 6 Km drive from RTC Complex. Busses (both run by the APSRTC - the State Transport Corporation and the Tourism Department) will help you reach to the Park.
About the Park
The Indira Gandhi Zoological Park was setup in the year 1972 in the city outskirts of Visakhapatnam city in a 250 hector area on the National Highway towards Vizianagaram.
The park is a great spot to spend time - particularly in the months of November and December. The Zoo Park has some of the best living animal and marine species and is one of its kinds in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The park is refreshed with a fresh collection of animals from the forests of Africa and the Australia.
The park is the home for
- Deer Safari
- Five Monkey enclosures
- Special Dens for Tigers and Lions
- Six enclosures for Deers and
- Eight specially designed enclosures for smaller mammals.
The list of animals includes the following:
- Indian Tiger
- Lions
- Panthers
- Rhesus
- Bennet
- Stump Tailed Monkey
- Baboons
- Asiatic Leopard
- Himalayan Black Bear
- Indian Porcupine
- Giant Squirrel
The list of Birds at the park includes
- Peafowl
- Red Jungle Fowl
- Patridges
- Golden Pheasant
- Silver Pheasant
- Ring Necked Pheasant
- Doves
- Parakeets
- Mumias
- Budgerigors
The reptile collection includes
- Estaurino
- Crocodile
- Marsh Crocodile
- Marine Turtle
- Terrapins
- Starred Tortoise
- Monitor Lizardds
The Zoo Park had a good collection of enclosure from the funds being provided to the park of which Rs. 8 Lakhs was spent for the enclosures for the American Jaguars and Rs. 7 Lakhs spent for the Indian Birds enclosures.
The Zoo Park is a good place where people love to spend. On an average, over five lakh visitors visit the Park every year.