A weekend home !!! For most of us this is the best experience ever, as it relaxes us and prepares us to battle out the next week. Then there are others like me, who just need an excuse to get out, may be visit a place in the city and then sometimes we make mistakes.
The Byculla zoo was one such mistake.
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| Byculla Zoo |
Location : Byculla - Mumbai
The Zoo is located in Byculla and it is a 5 minute walk from the Byculla station on the Mumbai Local Railway - Central Line. This makes it in the heart of the city. It is also called by "Ranichi Baugh" and "Jijamata Udyan"
Entrance: Simply Beautiful
There has been a lot of redevelopment here and the work done my the zoo authorities in beautifying the zoo entrance is easily visible. It is clean and scenic. The ticket counter which was a broken down shed before is reconstructed and now it gives you the feeling that you are about to embark on an awesome adventure inside the zoo. The entrance and exit gates are also reconstructed and now they resemble a gate way, which will get your rising. However do not get your hopes up.
The Zoo : Its Empty
Yes friends, the zoo is filled with empty confinement areas and empty cages. I will list down those handful animals which were were luck enough to see.
1. A monkey cage having one monkey.
2. A peacock cage having one weak peacock of black color.
3. A deer confinement area with malnourished deer. Better to go to visit national park where you can see lots of dears in the wild.
4. One python pit with one lazy python. You will not get to see him as he will be in a hole all coiled up.
5. Hippos who are always under water.
6. One crocodile in a very bad crocodile pit. You will feel pity on the poor thing.
7. Two elephants who are tied up half a kilometer away. You will need binoculars to see them.
8. Bird cages which are empty. (Parrots , one Military Macaw, one Frangipani and a few aqua birds)
9. Empty alligator pond.
The cages are dirty and dusty. I do not think there is anyone to take care of these animals and most of them have died already.
Penguin Enclosure : 1 minute view !!!
If you have come all the way to the zoo just to see the penguins, trust me guys it is not worth it. Once you enter the penguin enclosure you will see the small one foot penguins standing in a corner. There will be a guard who will not allow you to be in the same place and observer for more than a minute !! I feel it would have been better to watch a penguin documentary sitting at home than to visit a zoo to see absolutely nothing at all.
Forgot to mention you cannot click pictures or selfies here.
Conclusion: No !! Not worth it.
When I was a kid I do remember visiting the zoo. There were a lot of animals. Tigers, Lions, Hippos, Lots of snakes, Crocodiles and Alligators and the best part was these animals were well fed and healthy. Now I feel these animals are neglected and most of them have died. I feel sad visiting a zoo like this.
Well, there was a lot of construction work going on inside the zoo compounds. We can expect an improvement as the municipal corporation has announced a 433 crore makeover plan as per times of india (I have provided a link below) but what will eventually become is something for time to decide.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Rs-433-crore-Byculla-zoo-makeover-plan-takes-off/articleshow/4938684.cms
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| One of the attractions at the entrance |
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| Ticket Counter |
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| Entrance Gate to the Zoo |
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| Exit Gate of the Zoo |
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| Statues at the enterance |
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| A relic from the Old Zoo |
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| Zoo History |
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| Sasson Clock Tower |
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| Green Parrot in a green dusty cage |
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| Retired Military Macaw |
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| Lonely Hawk family bird |
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| Crying Aqua Bird |
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| Search for the crocodile |
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| The black peacock !! |
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| Barking Dear , It does not bark :P |
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| Other Sad Spotted Deer |
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| Drowning Hippo |
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| Hiding Python |
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