(IN): Night safari & dinner at zoo

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Link: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1071008/asp/guwahati/story_8407280.asp

 

Night safari & dinner at zoo

 

A STAFF REPORTER

 

*Oct. 7:* Care for a casual rendezvous with a tiger by moonlight?

 

Or perhaps, take a peek at the nocturnal habits of animals, with an al

fresco dinner thrown in?

 

All this, and more, will be possible in the not-so-distant future, at a zoo

near you.

 

Luncheon picnics at zoos in winters have now become passé.

 

The state forest department is thinking out of the box and has come up with

the concept of night safaris at the Assam zoo, for that extra thrill.

 

Add to that the prospect of a dinner, surrounded by all the sounds of night

around you, to give that special feel of being out in the wild.

 

Forest minister Rockybul Hussain today announced that the zoo doors would be

opened to visitors during nights for two months at the onset of winter.

 

The announcement was made during the concluding function of the 53rd

Wildlife Week at Rabindra Bhawan this morning.

 

" We are opening the zoo to visitors at night and will try to provide enough

facilities to make their visits memorable, " Hussain said.

 

Singapore Zoo was the first zoo in the world to introduce the concept of

night safaris.

 

The use of subtle lighting techniques enables the guests to view the animals

in their natural habitat.

 

A zoo official, however, said the visitors would not be allowed to walk

around on their own.

 

" None of the visitors would be allowed to walk around unaccompanied during

the safari and there will be a battery-operated vehicle which will take

visitors all around the zoo along a specified route, " he said.

 

The vehicle can accommodate 10 persons at a time.

 

The official added that certain areas would be developed where the visitors

can sit down and relax and have their dinner as well. Moreover, utmost care

would be taken so not to disturb the animals.

 

" We will use special lights during the safari, " the official said.

 

The plan is to have a pre-recorded cassette fixed to the battery-operated

vehicle, which would keep up a running commentary about the different places

in the zoo and its rich biodiversity.

 

" The cassette will have to be played at a low volume so that the animals are

not disturbed, " the official added.

 

" We will try to make it a special experience for the visitors. More

facilities will be added, " the official said.

 

He said the safaris would also add to the zoo's coffers.

 

" At present, visitors come mostly during the winter, as it is hot during the

day in other seasons. But they will find it pleasant to visit the zoo at

nights even during the summers, making it an year-round experience, " he

said.

 

Visitors planning to take this ride will have to shell out Rs 100 per

person.

 

 

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