The National Zoological Park, popularly known as the Delhi Zoo, is India's national zoo and a public institution for wildlife conservation, education, and recreation in New Delhi. It functions as an ex-situ conservation and breeding centre for endangered species alongside its role as a public park.
Basic Details
- Location: New Delhi, adjoining the Purana Qila and Humayun's Tomb complex.
- Area: 176 acres (about 71 hectares).
- Established: Opened as Delhi Zoo in November 1959; renamed National Zoological Park in 1982.
- Administered By: Comes under the Central Zoo Authority, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Genesis
- Recommending Body: The Indian Board for Wildlife set up a committee in 1952 to examine setting up a zoo in Delhi.
- Design: Carl Hagenbeck of Hamburg's Zoological Garden designed the zoo in 1956, recommending moated, barrier-free enclosures instead of cages.
- Renaming: The zoo was renamed from Delhi Zoo to National Zoological Park in 1982, reflecting its national-level role in conservation.
Role and Functions
- Ex-Situ Conservation: Houses about 1,350 animals across nearly 130 species, including breeding programmes for endangered species such as the Asiatic lion and the white tiger.
- Public Education: Runs guided walks and school programmes to build public awareness of wildlife and habitats.
- Citizen Science: Runs a Citizen Science Initiative, including a Tree Walk and a Sunday Bird Walk series, that invites the public to help document the zoo's biodiversity.
Significance
- Conservation Hub: As one of India's largest zoos by area, it plays a central role in the country's ex-situ conservation network overseen by the Central Zoo Authority.
- Urban Biodiversity: Its wetland habitats attract wild migratory birds such as Painted Storks, which nest on zoo trees independent of the captive collection.
- Public Science Platform: Its citizen science walks generate real observational data, such as species counts and nesting records, that feed into the zoo's own biodiversity monitoring.