Alipore Zoological garden

4.3

Location: Alipore road,Alipore,Kolkata,India

Estimated visiting time: 1 hour

The Zoological Garden, Alipore is a big tourist attraction in Kolkata, West Bengal and India’s oldest formally stated zoological park . It covers 18.811 ha (46.48 acres) and has been open as a zoo since 1876. To the Aldabra giant tortoise Adwaita, it is like home,who was reputed to have been over 250 years old when he died . To one of the few captive breeding projects, it is also home, involving the Manipur brow-antlered deer. It draws huge crowds during the winter season, as one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kolkata, especially during December and January. Till the date ,January 1, 2018 ,the highest attendance was 110,000 visitors.

Attraction

One of the most popular winter tourist attractions in Kolkata is the zoological garden of Alipore. Including the Royal Bengal tiger, hippopotamus, zebra, jaguar, greater one-horned rhinoceros, giraffe, Asiatic lion, and Indian elephant, the zoo displays a large number of crowd-pulling megafauna. Other megafaunas like the giant Eland and the Panthera hybrids were present previously. Including some threatened species-colorful game birds like pheasants and some large flightless birds like the emu and ostrich, large parrots including a number of parrots, lories, and lorikeets; other birds like hornbills; the zoo sports a large collection of attractive birds.

History

Established by Governor General of India, Richard Wellesley, the zoo had its roots in a private menagerie, established around 1800 in his summer home at Barrackpore near Kolkata, which was a part of the Indian Natural History Project. The famous Scottish physician zoologist Francis Buchanan-Hamilton was the first superintendent of the menagerie. Following the Governor-General’s recall by the Court of Directors in London, with Wellesley in 1805, Buchanan-Hamilton returned to England. Through watercolors by Charles D’Oyly and a visit by the famous French botanist Victor Jacquemont, the collection from this era is documented. Encountering his first tapir there, and doubtless used some aspects of the menagerie as an inspiration for the London Zoo, Sir Stamford Raffles visited the menagerie in 1810. By John Edward Saché in the 1860s, the menagerie was photographed.

Inside/Outside Views

The Calcutta Zoo has been unable to expand or modify its layout for over 50 years, laid out on 45 acres (18 ha) of land, and thus has a rather backdated plan. It holds a Primate House, an Elephant House, a Reptile House (a new one has been built), and a Panther House, opening out onto the open-air enclosures for the lions and tigers. For tigers, it also boasts a glass-walled enclosure, the first of its kind in India. Attracting migratory birds there are central water bodies on the grounds and a separate Children’s zoo is present here. The Calcutta Aquarium is affiliated with the zoo and lies across the street from the zoo.

Opening Hours

Friday 9 AM–4:30 PM
Saturday 9 AM–5 PM
Sunday 9 AM–5:15 PM
Monday 9 AM–4:30 PM
Tuesday 9 AM–4:30 PM
Wednesday 9 AM–4:30 PM
Thursday. Closed

Entry & Others Fees

Adults-Monday to Friday (except Thursday)-25 Rs.
Below 5 years-Monday to Friday (except Thursday)-10 Rs.
Adults-Saturday, Sunday, Holidays-30 Rs.
Below 5 years-Saturday, Sunday, Holidays-10 Rs

Near Restaurants

Near Hotels

How to Reach

Leading to Belvedre from Zerrut Bridge, the Alipore Zoo is situated on the Alipore Road.

Metro Station: Netaji Bhavan is the closest metro station from the zoo.

By Bus: Ekbalpur bus station is the nearest one.

From both the metro station and Ekbalpur bus station,the zoo is located at a short distance. You may hire a cab or taxi from the bus station or metro station.