Mysore Zoo

Mysore Zoo or Shri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens is one of the oldest zoo in India. It is home to a wide range of wild species and takes the credit for alluring vast number of visitors with its rich breed of flora and fauna. Mysore Zoo is a must in the itinerary for sightseeing in Mysore. Mysore Zoo is a pleasant experience also because most animals are kept in well spaced enclosures and it’s a delight to see them move around freely. The Mysore zoo abounds in natural vegetation cover and comprises of various rare species of plants & trees that are hard to find some where else. It is located inside the city unlike many other Zoos in India and Mysore Zoo is considered to be one of the best and oldest in the world.

The Mysore zoo is over a century old and has an interesting history of its own. Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar had a vision to create a well laid-out city amidst the gardens, and founded the world famous Mysore Zoo in the year of 1892. The Mysore Zoo which has now spread over an area of 250 acres was initially meant for the exclusive visit of the royal family but public entry started as early as 1920. After India attained freedom, the Zoo was presented by the then Maharaja to the Department of Parks and Gardens of the Mysore State Government.

Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens houses a variety of species not only of this country, but from over forty countries in the World. The Maharaja in his travel abroad collected rare animals from different countries and brought them to the zoo's collection. Animals available in the Mysore forests were exchanged for the animals procured from other countries and as a result acquisition of a large number of animals of different species was possible. It has beautiful landscape with good vegetation cover resembling to that of natural environment. Many animals which are imported from countries like Africa, America, and Australian countries. Mysore Zoo is among the few in India exhibiting African elephants, and the only one to breed them. Mysore Zoo was the first in the country to obtain gorilla and penguin’s.

The Mysore Zoo is not just a place of recreation, but is also serving as a good educational center for imparting knowledge on conservation of wildlife. Mysore Zoo is supporting the conservation of endangered species through coordinated breeding and rehabilitation. It is also credited with achieving considerable break-through in captive breeding of many animals.

Today though the Mysore zoo is over a century old it has spacious enclosures, walk throughs, a veterinary hospital, with facility for quarantine, operation theater, medicine rooms and wards for animals. The Mysore Zoo has a small museum which exhibits the stuffed animals and there is a fish aquarium too. A small library is also located in the Zoo. Painting and essay competitions are periodically conducted by the zoo authority the children to create awareness and love in them for animals.

To inspire the visitors to the Zoo and generate empathy for wild animals and also for maintaining ecological balance, in a way to involve people in Wildlife Conservation, Mysore Zoo has launched a novel scheme of adoption of animals under Adoption Programme, which means you can take care of the feeding expenses of an animal for a certain of time. Adopter will be entitled for the prescribed privileges like Certificate of Adoption, complimentary pass besides publicity in the leading newspapers.