COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) officially downed curtains on the VOC zoological park on Friday and started shifting animals and birds to other zoos.The zoo, one of Coimbatore’s landmarks, had to be closed as the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) in 2018 refused to renew its licence flagging several issues. According to sources, CCMC which maintains the zoo did not take steps to address the issues and renew the licence, thereby losing the tag of being the only municipal corporation in the country to own such a facility.
The VOC zoo, spread across 4.13 acres of land was established in 1965. It was closed for public in January 2022 after the licence expired, but the animals and birds were taken care of a veterinarian cum zoo director and other staff.The zoo houses 532 animals, including 334 birds, 46 reptiles and 152 mammals for which the CCMC spends Rs 3.15 lakh every month on food.
The majority of the animals and birds are being shifted to the Vandalur zoo in Chennai. The zoo keepers with help of veterinarians and animal experts put them in cages and loaded them on to trucks. Once the shifting is completed the civic body has planned to set up an aviary in the location.
Speaking to TNIE, CCMC commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran said, “I’ve given sanction for the shifting of animals and birds from the VOC zoo to the Vandalur zoo. Currently, the concurrence for shifting has been given only for the Vandalur Zoo. The transportation of the animals to Vandalur would cost around Rs 2 lakh and CCMC would bear it.”