THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The butterfly park which was inaugurated by Minister for Zoos J Chinchu Rani at the Museum and Zoo in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday is being touted as a model park for schools in the state. As part of a new initiative, the education department has invited applications from all schools which have adequate space to set up butterfly gardens. In addition, students will be provided a day-long class by the Zoo authorities and the Travancore Nature History Society - which would help them to emulate it at their schools.
Completed at a cost of `75 lakhs the butterfly park which occupies 30 cents on the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo campus is surrounded by lush flora and fauna which includes flowering plants like lantana and clerodendrum paniculatum, commonly known as the pagoda flower, which the butterflies get easily attracted to. According to S Abu, Museum and Zoo director, the state has so far identified 326 varieties of butterflies and out of that 120 varieties have been spotted at the newly setup park already. He told TNIE that the last date for the schools to apply for developing butterfly parks is on September 10.
“The dense foliage around what used to be the enclosure for crocodiles where the new butterfly park has been set up, has not been disturbed. We enhanced the palm grove area by adding several flowering plants suitable for butterflies. We’re waiting for the schools to reopen,” said Abu.
Minister Chinchu Rani will also soon launch a new store room and office complex, a new aviary for exotic birds and a mobile application. A state-of-the-art storage facility, and a food and meat processing centre for animals was a long standing demand of the zookeepers and other staffers. The old building was over 50 years old. The PWD took three years to complete the two-storeyed complex at `1.25 crore which also houses an office spaces for the curator, superintendent; a retiring room for keepers, dining room and toilet facilities.