LAHORE: Lahore Zoo is arranging an array of activity in connection with its 150-year celebrations on Nov 24 and 25.
Talking to Dawn, Lahore Zoo Director Azeem Zafar says it is one of the largest zoos in the country which features hundreds of species of different animals.
The director says there will be drawing, painting competitions, art activities for special students, puppet and magic shows for children. The zoo staff will distribute awareness material on captive breeding and wildlife among the visitors. In a grand ceremony, certificates, souvenirs and awards will be distributed among the art activity contestants.
On day two (Nov 25), students from different art and educational institutions will make sculptures of different animals in a live session.
Deputy Director Kiran Saleem says the Lahore Zoo had been started in 1860s in the form of a menagerie and was properly established as a zoo with an addition of aviary donated by Lala Mela Ram in 1872. It remained under the management of Lahore Municipal Committee from 1872 to 1921. Thereafter, its control was transferred to the deputy commissioner and commissioner, Lahore, and was managed through a zoo advisory committee until 1962. Then its management was placed with the West Pakistan agriculture department and afterwards with the livestock and dairy development department. Finally the management was entrusted to the wildlife and parks department in 1982 and is presently governed by the zoo management committee of Lahore Zoo constituted under Punjab Zoos and Safari Parks Rules 2012.
Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2022
