Nagpur: The Maharashtra Zoo Authority (MZA), a statutory body constituted to monitor zoos, has proposed
animal adoption scheme in the state zoos and rescue centres. The proposal will be put forward for approval at the maiden meeting of the governing council of MZA which monitors nine zoos, four rescue centres and four transit treatment centres in the state.
The MZA was set up on December 30, 2015, and the governing council in 2016. The meeting of the 16-member council will be held at Van Sabhagruha on Thursday and chaired by forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar. The council members include additional chief secretaries for finance and planning, principal secretary urban development, animal husbandry, head of forest force (HoFF), PCCF (wildlife), FDCM managing director, zoo expert Anil Anjankar and Rajendra Jadhav of zoological park in Pune, and Kishor Rithe, president of Satpuda Foundation.
Sudhakar Dole, chief conservator of forests (CCF) and member-secretary of MZA, said, “The animal adoption scheme proposal will be put forward before the council meeting on Thursday. The MZA has also sought budgetary allocation of Rs 1.40 crore for 2018-19.”
The meeting will also discuss progress of proposed leopard safaris in Chandrapur, Pune, Borivali and Amravati. One of the agenda items also includes granting permission to accept donations. The meeting will also review progress of Gorewada international zoo.
Dole said under the adoption scheme interested individuals and parties will be annually charged Rs 3.30 lakh for tiger, Rs 1.20 lakh for leopard and Rs 80,000 for herbivore. “We will put a display board near the cages about the person/firm adopting the animals. For adoption of animals in rescue centre, there will be restriction as animals are not for public display,” said Dole.
When asked about the scheme already implemented in Gorewada, Dole said, “The scheme will be clubbed with MZA. The adoption scheme will be streamlined.”
