Southern zookeepers to get eight-day training

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Zookeepers from all the South Indian states will be given an eight-day training at the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo under the aegis of Central Zoo Authority. This is the first time such a massive training is being held in the zoo. The programme will be inaugurated by the museum and zoo minister K. Raju on Wednesday. Selected zookeepers from Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur zoos, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana will take part in the training camp. With Vardah cyclone devastating Tamil Nadu, the Arignar Anna Zoological Park, also known as the Vandalur Zoo, has been badly hit which has forced the authorities to shut it down. Hence, the zoo keepers from Vandalur Zoo will not be attending the programme.

CZA has chosen a total of 30 keepers including six from Kerala. Thiruvananthapuram Zoo superintendent T.V. Anil Kumar told this newspaper that training is being provided to those zoo keepers who are either new to the job or who have less than two years experience as per the CZA guidelines. “Rs 4.48 lakh is being provided by the CZA for the eight days training programme. The main theme of the training programme is to provide marking of animals and record keeping. Apart from the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo officials, Zoo Outreach Organisations’ educational officer R. Marimuthu from Coimbatore will be leading the training camp,” said Anil Kumar.

Vandalur Zoo biologist A. Manimozhi is also expected to take classes for the zookeepers. They will also be taken to field trips at Neyyar Safari Park, Kottoor Kappukadu Elephant Rehabilitation Centre, Ponmudi and also to Vizhinjam Marine Aquarium. The zoo keepers will also be provided training on food processing, animal darting and transporting as well as on nutrition. About a decade ago, the Thiruvanthapuram Zoo had provided training to mahouts from South Indian states.