Upgradation of Lahore Zoo

I have been an ardent visitor of the Lahore Zoo for almost 4 decades. My mother’s love for the animals was one of the leading factors that ensured our frequenting the zoo after short intervals. The excitement that I would feel as we crossed the gigantic concrete statues of different animal species marking the entry of the zoo is still palpable. I couldn’t wait to quickly procure the tickets and rush inside to meet the monkeys first and foremost. We would buy popcorn and get to munch on pastel colored cotton candy as we walked along the pebbled path curiously glancing at the animals. There was no limit to our excitement when an animal would interact while we stood outside their cages looking at them and marveling at their colors, shapes, and behaviors. Back in the day, there used to be photographers holding Polaroid cameras urging for you to make timeless memories while posing for their curated shots, and memorable they were indeed. As I grew older, although I did not completely lose my fascination for the zoo animals, however, the stench coming from different cages especially in the endless Lahori summers, and the dilapidated condition of some of the animals and their habitats kept me away for long lengths of time. Motherhood rediscovered the lost pathways to the Lahore Zoo, this time I was bemused by the electronic simulation of Suzi the beloved elephant, the zoo did not feel the same without her. My children were jumping with joy feeding popcorn to many deer, gazing at the snakes in the snake house which seemed to be stuffed, save a little movement here and there.

During these summer vacations in a bid to kill the incessant boredom of my teenagers, I planned a trip to the Lahore Zoo. Upon reaching we were told it was closed for renovation, a little disappointed, but we pledged to return when it reopened. As the summer vacation was nearing its culmination, we visited the new and improved Lahore Zoo and were pleasantly surprised by some of the steps taken to make it a more attractive spot for visitors.

The first change was the price of the ticketing, it has now been raised to Rs.100 across the board for both children and adults. There has also been a new system of E-ticketing installed. The second change was the glass walls that lined the base of the monkey house which meant that children in particular could observe the monkeys safely yet closely while being protected by the interactive cage design. The tiger enclosures and cages have also been revamped. Moving on we saw glass walls around the bird aviary which also insulate the noise of the people which can disturb the resident birds. The most interesting was a tunnel comprising glass windows from which you could have a very first-hand feel of the lions’ habitat. To ensure the durability of the glass walls and prevent any accidental breakages, a glass of 35-millimeter width, following international standards has been used. It is called the laminated glass and in case of breaking it will not shatter shooting glass shards in all directions. Also to prevent the animals from getting agitated by seeing their reflections in the glass, special anti-reflective glass quality has been used.

The sloth bear and deer enclosures have also been upgraded to provide a more natural habitat for the animals by increasing their outdoor surface area. The children can now feed the parrots as well, which was an exciting activity for them. According to the deputy director of Lahore Zoo, Kiran Latif, for the first time information about the rare and endangered species of different animals will be provided using virtual reality. Zoo Holograms is an IT-based facility, it has three components consisting of AR and VR, mixed reality, and holograms. All three have wildlife-related themes like aquatic, dinosaurs, jungle theme, endangered species of Pakistan, desert theme, etc. The visitors will be able to play games and watch a movie and documentary.

New animals worth of around Rs 600 million are also being procured for the Zoo. Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus, and Giraffes will be completing their pairs as a part of this procurement. Almost 80 new species have completed their quarantine and joined the Lahore Zoo while new arrivals are expected soon.

The total revamping cost of the Lahore Zoo was 1836 million rupees. It will be spanning over two years, 2023-2025. The efforts made by the Lahore Zoo authorities to bring it at par with the international standards are commendable, however, Suzie will be sorely and surely missed.