Kano Zoo requires N40 million to restock animals

The management of Kano Zoological Garden, Audu Bako Zoo, says the garden requires N40 million to enable it restock new species of animals.

The Director, Zoo services, Ali Yola, disclosed this in Kano on Saturday.

He said, the management had already forwarded the request to the state government for consideration and approval.

He said restocking the zoo with new animals would attract more visitors to the zoo and generate more revenue for the state.

“Over the years we have been looking for an opportunity to restock the zoo with new animals.

“Some of the animals, at the zoo now have no partners; they are either males or females only.

He said acquiring additional animal species was necessary in order to meet international standard.

“We also need to have standard education centre. So the facilities at the centre need to be rehabilitated to meet the required standard,’’ he said.

He said as part of effort to generate more revenue, the agency had in 2012 introduced mobile zoo which enabled it to showcase its different species of animals to the public.

He said 50 per cent of the people who visit the zoo are secondary school students who come from different parts of the country.

He said the state government had recently given the management approval to rehabilitate some facilities and erect pavilion/tents for conferences to generate more revenue.

Mr. Yola disclosed that the zoo had donated and exchanged animals with University of Ibadan zoo, Karimi Sanda Park, Maiduguri, Jos Park and National Museum, Niamey in Niger Republic.

“We have also recently donated 10 different animal species to Olusegun Obasanjo mini zoo,’’ he said.

(NAN)