The Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden (popularly known as Guwahati Zoo) is the largest of its kind in the North East region and it is spread across 432 acre (175 hectare). The zoo is located within the
Hengrabari
Hengrabari is a district in the capital city of Guwahati of Assam, a state on the north-east of India. Densely populated, Hengrabari resembles the character of a small town in the heart of Guwahati. A few decades ago the areas around Hengrabari ...
Reserved Forest
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geolog ...
at
Guwahati
Guwahati () the largest city of the Indian state of Assam, and also the largest metropolis in northeastern India. Dispur, the capital of Assam, is in the circuit city region located within Guwahati and is the seat of the Government of Assam. Th ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. The zoo is home to about more than 1125 numbers of animals, birds and reptiles representing over 115 species of animals and birds from around the world.
The Divisional officer of Assam State Zoo is Dr. Ashwini Kumar, IFS.
History
The 64th session of
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...
was held in Guwahati, in 1957. The Organising committee of
INC organised an exhibit with included few animals and birds, of which a female leopard cub named Spotty was the favourite. After the meeting came to an end, it was felt to necessity of a zoo to house these animals.
These animals were shifted to Japorigog in the Hengrabari Reserve forest, with an area of 130 Hectare, suitable to create facilities and house these animals, thus, The Assam State Zoo was established in the year 1957 and was open to public viewing in the year 1958.
Over the years, the zoo grew and expanded to accommodate eye-catching exotic ones like
Orangutan
Orangutans are great apes native to the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia. They are now found only in parts of Borneo and Sumatra, but during the Pleistocene they ranged throughout Southeast Asia and South China. Classified in the genus ...
s,
black panther
A black panther is the Melanism, melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical Rosette (zoology), rosettes are al ...
&
Indian rhinoceros
The Indian rhinoceros (''Rhinoceros unicornis''), also known as the greater one-horned rhinoceros, great Indian rhinoceros or Indian rhino, is a species of rhinoceros found in the Indian subcontinent. It is the second largest living rhinocer ...
,
zebra
Zebras (, ) (subgenus ''Hippotigris'') are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. There are three living species: Grévy's zebra (''Equus grevyi''), the plains zebra (''E. quagga''), and the mountain zebra (''E. ...
s,
ostrich
Ostriches are large flightless birds. Two living species are recognised, the common ostrich, native to large parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and the Somali ostrich, native to the Horn of Africa.
They are the heaviest and largest living birds, w ...
es and
giraffe
The giraffe is a large Fauna of Africa, African even-toed ungulate, hoofed mammal belonging to the genus ''Giraffa.'' It is the Largest mammals#Even-toed Ungulates (Artiodactyla), tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on ...
s , etc. To get these exotic animals the zoo used to send indigenous animals like
one horned Indian rhinoceros and others, to many countries. Through later the importance was shifted to indigenous species and several captive breeding programs also started which were successful. In the year 1959 a forest division was created as Assam State Zoo Division and the zoo was put under this division.
The Assam State Zoo also added a museum and in the year 1982 a botanical garden and so Assam State Zoo became The Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden.
In 2002 another 45 hectare area of the Hengrabari Reserve Forests were added to the zoo and thus, the total area of the zoo became 175 hectare and in August, 2005 the Animal Adoption Scheme launched.
Image: Male Indian Peafowl.jpg, Male Indian peafowl
Image: Indian Rhinoceros at Guwahati Zoo, India.jpg, Single horn of an Indian rhinoceros
Image: An Indian Tiger.jpg, An Indian tiger
Image: Pelican in flock.JPG, Pelican in flock
Image: Chital or Spotted Deer.JPG, Chital or spotted deer
See also
*
List of Botanical Gardens in India
A botanical garden is a place where plants, especially ferns, conifers and flowering plants, are grown and displayed for the purposes of research and education. This distinguishes them from parks and pleasure gardens where plants, usually with be ...
and the "Indian portion" of the international
List of botanical gardens
A botanical garden is a place where plants, especially ferns, conifers and flowering plants, are grown and displayed for the purposes of research, conservation, and education. This distinguishes them from parks and pleasure gardens where plants, ...
Notes
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Zoos in India
Tourist attractions in Guwahati
1958 establishments in Assam
Zoos established in 1958