ITANAGAR, 8 Oct: Nyishi Nyem Acham vice president Apong Gyadi Flago on Saturday became the first person in the state to adopt a zoo animal of the Biological Park here.
She adopted a hornbill, the state bird of Arunachal Pradesh, after the launch of an animal adoption scheme at the Biological Park on Saturday.
During the concluding ceremony of the 68th Wildlife Week celebration, PCCF (P&D) Ashok Biswal launched the ‘digital ticket counter’ and the animal adoption scheme in the presence of a host of officers, including Chief Wildlife Warden Ngilyang Tam.
Henceforth, only online payments will be accepted by the zoo authority at the entry gate, said Itanagar Biological Park Curator Raya Flago in a statement.
The curator further said: “Under the animal adoption scheme, any person, institution, company, etc, can adopt any zoo animal of their choice and be the part of zoo management and avail adoption benefits too.”
He said that the “animal adoption scheme is an opportunity where the zoo authorities offer the zoo animals in their collection to the general public for taking care of them.”
He added that, through this scheme “the zoos shall be in more direct public contact with enhanced accountability.”
“Your symbolic adoption of these animals helps fight the many threats to their natural environment. The funds raised through these symbolic adoptions are used to help save animals in the wild also,” the statement said.
Adoption of zoo animals is very popular in international zoos, and several Indian zoos have already started this practice.
The results of a state level painting competition conducted during the Wildlife Week celebration were also announced.
Tana Flago (Class 5, GHSS Ganga) won the first prize, while Nabam Nunu (Class 4, GUPS Lorputung) bagged the second prize, and Tana Mechup (Class 5, Zion English School, Itanagar) won the third prize.
