The botanical side of a zoological park in Coimbatore, India

Abstract

Recreating different forest types in a zoo demands total commitment and appropriate professional expertise. The Coimbatore Zoological Park has been striving for the past four years (1994-98) to simulate or recreate eight different forest types of the Nilgiris at the site. Work on three of these eight vegetation zones have already begun. The experience gained during the last 4 years show that it is possible to recreate at least seven of these vegetation types using the same species found in the wild. Seedlings are either purchased from outside or propagated at the zoo itself. Many of the tropical wet evergreen species have been propagated, planted and firmly established at the zoo. Every botanic activity, including the outcome of every propagation and planting attempt, is recorded and analyzed through a computer software named ENTADA. Immediate future plans include the installation of a pair of rain guns for irrigating the rainforest zone, a green house for acclimatizing young rainforest seedlings to local conditions and initiation of Botanic Education Programmes for students.