: Want to Adopt an Elephant? Or a Lion? These Indian Zoos Make it Possible #IndiaNEWS #Wildlife Since the COVID-19 outbreak, many public spaces have been closed, including zoos. While some zoos reported

Want to Adopt an Elephant? Or a Lion? These Indian Zoos Make it Possible #IndiaNEWS #Wildlife
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, many public spaces have been closed, including zoos. While some zoos reported that the animals were happy without the constant movement of humans and clicking of cameras, others like the Nandankanan zoo in Bhubaneshwar reported that it was hard for them to take care of the animals and make ends meet without the main source of income entry tickets.
Nandankanan zoo, reportedly, generates around Rs 15 crore revenue a year to meet its expenses but failed to collect a single penny owing to the lockdown restrictions, until it reopened on October 4.
Therefore, to collect the funds necessary for animal care, Nandankanan zoo and some other zoos across the country have introduced online animal adoption. People can virtually ‘adopt’ any animal of their choice for a specified period, and the money they pay will go towards the food, grooming, and medical expenses of that animal.
Although this is not entirely a new thing adoptions were encouraged earlier as well to create a sense of involvement and bonding between visitors and zoo animals now it has become a necessity for many zoos.
Here are some zoos offering online methods of adoption
1. Nandankanan zoo, Bhubaneshwar
Several animals, ranging from lions and tigers to various species of birds and snakes, are up for adoption.
You can visit their official website to see the list.
Adoption process:

Select the animal you want to adopt.
Choose the number of animals you want to adopt.
Choose the time period you wish to pay for (ranges from 1 month to 1 year).
Enter your details, upload a picture of yourself and your aadhar number for identity verification.
Finally, you can pay through an online mode.

Once you have made the payment, the zoo will send a confirmation through email and update their ‘List of adopted animals’ page with your name and contribution. Following this, they will also update the same on their social media handles such as Twitter and Facebook.
2. Indira Gandhi Zoo, Visakhapatnam
Located in the Kambalakonda Reserve Forest in Visakhapatnam, this zoo needs people to adopt animals so it can continue to provide good food and facilities for its residents.
Here’s how you can adopt an animal at this zoo:

Visit their official website.
Enter the necessary information
Select the animal of your choice
Select the period you wish to provide for. It ranges from one day to one year.
Pay via online mode.

You will get confirmation through a message or email. According to the official website, donors who give an amount ranging from Rs. 10k to 30k will have their name etched onto the enclosure for the animal and receive free entry into the zoo for five persons once a year.