Annual conference of zoo directors from tomorrow

Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens (Mysuru Zoo), as part of its 125th year celebration, is hosting the annual conference of the directors and curators of the Indian zoos and also from a foreign nation, in collaboration with the Central Zoo Authority in Mysuru from December 18 to 21.

Chairperson of the Zoo Authority of Karnataka Mallige Veeresh said, the four-day event, which was held just in 2013 in Mysuru is being held in a short span of time in view of the celebrations. She will inaugurate the conference at Radisson Blu hotel on December 18 at 9 am. The last conference was held at Dehra Dun in Uttarakhand.

She said, "Around 50 heads of the zoo from 27 states and also from the Prague Zoo, in the Czech Republic, are attending the conference. Its theme is 'Vision 2030 of the Zoos in India'. While the first two days of the conference will be held at Radisson Blu, the third and fourth day of the programme will be at Kabini in HD Kote taluk. Besides expert talks, the directors and curators of all the zoos of India will share their good practices among themselves."

"The conference will have sessions by experts, who will explain about various day-to-day challenges related to the upkeep of animals in the zoos. The conference will also cover important topics for deliberation and take decisions for better management of zoos and, to develop them as centres of conservation on biodiversity," Mallige said.

C Ravishankar, Executive Director of the Mysuru Zoo said that he plans to share the success in gaur breeding, the initiative of making the zoo premises plastic-free zone and the process of making vermi-compost from the waste generated.

Kishan Singh Sugara, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force), Bengaluru, will preside over the inaugural function. C S Yelakki, retired principal chief conservator of forests and member of the Central Zoo Authority, Punati Sridhar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru, D N Singh, Member Secretary, Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi, C Jayaram, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wl) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Karnataka, Bengaluru, and B P Ravi, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and member secretary, Zoo Authority of Karnataka, Mysuru, will be the chief guests. Nominated members B N Karigowda, S N Raju, Latha Jagadeesh, Amjad Khan, and K Tukaram will be present.