No takers across India for Mumbai’s penguins

Humboldt penguins at the Byculla zoo. Pic/Ashish Raje

There are no takers for the Mumbai penguins. The Veermata Jijabai Bhonsle Botanical Garden and Zoo approached several zoos of the country for an exchange arrangement. Meanwhile, the zoo authority will invite about Rs 300 crore tender for the expansion of the zoo on the seven acres plot.

"We have already forwarded proposals to the Sakkarbaug Zoo and Jamnagar Zoo to exchange their animals with our penguins. But we did not receive any feedback from them," said Dr Sanjay Tripathi, director of the Byculla Zoo. Introducing any new animal in the zoo is a lengthy process. They need to take permission from the central government, an official added further.

According to the reports Byculla zoo first introduced eight Humboldt penguins in 2016 which have now multiplied to 18. There is an 1800 sq ft temperature controlled enclosure for the penguins. BMC forwarded a proposal to the zoos in October 2023 for an exchange of animals with the penguins. The high cost of maintaining the penguin enclosure may be one of the reasons for the lack of response from other zoos. In 2021, BMC signed a three years contract for Rs 15 crore with the firm that had been initially appointed.

Meanwhile, BMC is working on the expansion of the Byculla zoo. BMC will include seven acres of adjourning land of the zoo. In this land BMC will develop a zoo which will represent most of the continents. In this expansion visitors can witness animals like jaguars, Chimpanzees and Kangaroos. Officials told mid-day that a consultant has already been appointed and bids will be invited for the construction of the enclosure after the Lok Sabha election's code of conduct is withdrawn. "The estimate of the project is around R300 crore. It will take three years for the construction, after that we will introduce animals from most of the continents. Meanwhile, Byculla zoo houses 388 animals, birds and reptiles including tigers, leopard, hyenas, crocodiles, various kinds of deer and monkeys.