Former Mayor alleges bid to move Thiruvananthapuram Zoo animals to Vantara, Puthur

Former Mayor V.K. Prasanth has accused the United Democratic Front (UDF) government of plotting to move the animals at Thiruvananthapuram Zoo to the Vantara zoological center in Gujarat and the Puthur zoo in Thrissur. Senior officials have reportedly been dispatched to Vantara to investigate, according to Prasanth, who previously criticized Chief Minister V.D.

Satheesan's proposal to relocate the zoo from downtown to a different location. Prasanth revealed on Saturday that the comments made by Museums and Zoos Minister O.J. Janeesh during the Wildlife Week celebrations' closing ceremony suggested the government's intentions. Janeesh suggested the possibility of privatizing the zoo and seeking sponsors.

According to Prasanth, the minister's remarks indicated that the government was interested in commercial pursuits. Prasanth stated that the government's plan to relocate the animals to forest areas through private partnerships and sponsorship would not take as long as the 16 years it took for the Thrissur Zoological Park to shift to Puthur.

The former mayor emphasized that the government's proposal to relocate the animals would result in the cutting down of trees in the zoo, which served as the "guardians of the green lung" in the city. A meeting will be held at Sathyan Memorial Hall in the city at 5 p.m. on Monday (October 12) to establish a "Thiruvananthapuram Zoo Protection Committee" to support retaining the zoo in its current location.