Poor response in Alipore zoo to animal adoption scheme

Almost four years after the West Bengal government introduced a scheme to adopt animals in the Alipore Zoological Garden, the initiative seems to have lost steam with fewer individuals and companies approaching the authorities for adoption.

The animal adoption scheme was announced in 2013 and in 2015-16 the revenue from the initiative increased up to ₹31.65 lakh. But in 2017-18, the money from the scheme dropped to ₹11.75 lakh.

“The response is not good. The adoption involves monetary transactions and there are not many renewals,” Alipore Zoo director Asis Kumar Samanta told The Hindu.

A closer look at the adoption of animals at the zoological garden indicates that almost ₹11 lakh came from a single source, a non-resident Indian. S.U. Rahaman, whose address in the zoo records was mentioned as Sutton, London, had adopted three tigers, two lions and one leopard.

Incentives galore

Most of the organisations and individuals who had adopted the animals after 2014 had not renewed their contract with the zoo. Besides incentives like celebrating the birthday of the adopted animal inside the zoo, the scheme provides opportunity to use the animal's photograph for publication in newspapers, magazines, in the letter head and website of individual or the institution.

Adoption cost of tigers and lions was highest at ₹2 lakh per annum. Birds or porcupines could be adopted at ₹10,000 for a year. V.K. Yadav, member secretary, West Bengal Zoo Authority, said they would write to a prominent chamber of commerce in the city to adopt the animals.