Summer no deterrent to visitors at Vandalur zoo, Guindy park

Chennai: Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur, along with the Children's Park and Snake Park in Guindy, experienced a surge in footfall during the past weekend, a trend that continues into the current week. With long weekends and summer holidays in full swing, families are flocking to these popular destinations, turning them into bustling hubs of recreational activity.

According to park officials, the spike in visitors could be attributed to the prolonged holidays, prompting many families to choose these spots for both fun and educational outings. The Vandalur zoo saw an average of 6,000 visitors over the previous weekend. On Saturday alone, over 5,500 people visited the zoo, and the number peaked at 7,900 on Sunday. This Friday, more than 5,000 people visited the zoo, while the Children's Park welcomed 3,100 guests.

Despite expectations of continued crowds on Monday, zoo officials noticed a surprising dip in numbers compared to Sunday. Still, the Children's Park, which usually attracts fewer than a thousand visitors a day, saw an impressive total of over 10,500 visitors across the weekend, including Monday.

A wildlife official noted that the start of the school summer holidays after annual examinations played a significant role in the uptick. As part of the heat mitigation measures, the zoo has implemented several initiatives aimed at giving visitors a hassle-free experience. Water sprayers have been installed at eight different locations along the zoo's pathways, which helps patrons cool off.

Additionally, the carnivore enclosures have been shielded with gunny bags regularly sprayed with water to minimize heat radiation. Similar arrangements are in place at the Children's Park, where the enclosures of deer, monkeys, and birds are also protected with wet gunny coverings.

"This is the first summer after the renovated Children's Park was inaugurated in August last year. We are expecting more crowds in coming weeks," said an official, anticipating even larger turnouts as the summer continues.