My Sri Lanka: Ecotourism

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Ecotourism - Sri Lanka

National Zoological Garden – Sri Lank

National Zoological Garden is situated Dehiwala and it is approximately 11 Ktrs. Away from the Colombo Fort. This is commonly famous as Dehiwala Zoo and has a curious history. Mr. John Hagenbeck, brother of the famous animal trainer, Carl Hagenbeck established the Ceylon Zoological Gardens Company at Dehiwela by using a land

with 11 acres in 20th Century. In 1936 the Government purchased the

company due to the company went bankrupt. At present the total extent of land of the Zoo is 24 acres.

The Zoo has a fine collection of animals, birds, reptiles and fish from all over the world. The aquarium is the only one of its kind in Asia and displays over 500 varieties of aquatic life. The colony of jackass penguins, Sri Lankan leopards, African lions, bears, elephants, birds, capuchin monkeys, macaws, hippopotamus and many species of endemic fish etc… can b

e seen in the Zoo. Mainly the Zoo can be divided in to following areas. An

aquarium, a herpetarium and a walk-through aviary, butterfly house apart, lion’s enclosures, and gibbon islands.

One of the major attractions in the Zoo is Elephant’s show.

Coming attractions at the zoo are a museum and

a live reef tank. Colombo Zoo is also famous for its huge tree cover and well landscaped garden. The Zoo garden is maintained in order to make Eco friendly environment within the zoo itself.

2008-06-12 is most important day to the Colombo Zoo. Because The green anaconda couple who was brought from South America five years ago had given birth to 23 offspring on July 12 inside a bare cage in the Zoo. Three of baby anacondas died after birth.