LAHORE, July 15: One just cannot miss the fibre sculptures of animals peeking out from behind trees, cages and passageways as one enters the Lahore Zoo from The Mall.
This significant cultural addition to the zoo has been recently made to attract, educate and update visitors on animals in captive breeding. Six life-size sculptures of elephants, chimpanzees, pumas, lions, snakes and monkeys have brought the idea (part of master plan) to fruition.
These animal sculptures in the zoo are the continuation of those giant sculptures of giraffes and elephants already on display at the main entrance. Many of the sculptures to be placed in the zoo in future depict endangered species to inspire future generations to protect the natural world.
All sculptures have their own significance when it comes to wildlife, however, elephants have long played an important role in the cultural, artistic and religious heritage of many Asian countries. For centuries, they have been revered in Thailand, India, China and Cambodia.
The sculptures of elephants have been designed to increase appreciation, amazement and wonder for these great animals and to familiarise visitors with the challenges Asian elephants face in the wild, including their shrinking natural habitat.
“Sculptures are not only a source of joy and information for the visitors but they also contribute to a panoramic view to the zoo,” Lahore Zoo Deputy Director Muddassar Hassan told Dawn.
He said sculptures helped people immediately catch sight of the animal they had particularly come to see at the zoo. “If the animal is hidden and resting inside the cage, where it cannot be seen physically, its sculpture helps children identify its shape and size,” he said.
Mr Hassan said these sculptures had been put on display following the tradition set by zoos internationally. The Thailand Zoo has a variety of huge animal sculptures.
Asked if the zoo had any plan to exhibit giant sculptures depicting natural sizes of big animals such as elephants and big cats, he said the seven-kanal area at Bagh-i-Jinnah which had been allocated to the zoo would be used for this purpose.
“We have a plan to put on display sculptures of big animals such as dinosaur, tigers, elephants and rhinos over there,” he said.
Zoos are a good source of education on wildlife and captive breeding the world over. The aesthetic sense attached to this education requires some measures and installation of such structures is part of the plan. They would also help wildlife experts in delivering lectures to the visiting and research students, said Mr Hassan.
Besides, he said, they would afford an opportunity to the zoo to be in league with institutions like the Permanent Art Gallery in Lahore.
