NEW DELHI: In the latest move to encourage animal adoption, the National Zoological Park in Delhi will now allow people to celebrate birthdays, wedding anniversaries and other occasions by adopting an animal for a day.
The charges for the same will range from Rs 500 for a small animal to Rs 50,000 for a tiger.
According to Zoo Director Sanjeet Kumar, the proposal for short-term animal adoptions is expected to receive approval by the end of this month and will be launched in March.
A day-long adoption cost has been decided on the basis of annual adoption rate of each animal, he said. Kumar further said, “If an animal has an annual adoption cost of Rs 50,000, the charge for adopting it for a day would be around Rs 500.”
Additionally, the zoo is introducing short-term and online adoption options to make the scheme more accessible, especially for those who may not be able to commit to adopting an animal for a full year. The initiative is also expected to help boost visitor footfall and generate additional revenue, the zoo director noted.
Launched in 2022, the adoption programme aims to promote animal conservation and strengthen connection with wildlife. Currently, the zoo allows adoptions for a year or two, with corporations accounting for most of the adopters. The scheme initially witnessed greater interest in smaller animals, and 39 adoptions completed in the early phase largely involved birds and reptiles, an official said.