Renovated wetland aviary, nocturnal house in Vandalur zoo opened; new toilets built

The Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP) in Vandalur has opened its renovated wetland bird aviary, known as the Vedanthangal aviary, one of several facilities recently upgraded.

The new dome-shaped aviary, which houses spot-billed pelicans, painted storks, grey herons, night herons, darters, and white ibis, is built with a three-level chain-link structure, reaching up to 18 metres at its highest point. The enclosure includes wooden platforms for perching and is designed to give the birds more vertical space to fly and nest, said an AAZP official.

Another upgrade is the reopening of the nocturnal animal house, which now has improved viewing conditions. The enclosure, which houses slender lorises, porcupines, civet cats and owls, has been redesigned with glass partitions, soft lighting, and separate ventilation systems for the animals and visitor pathways to minimise odour. The structure retains its cave-like design but is now better suited to the animals’ natural behaviour, with fewer external openings. Two additional day enclosures are being built outside the main building to alternate the display of animals.

Work is under way to improve the toilet facilities at the zoo, which have drawn frequent complaints for being unclean and poorly maintained. Six new toilets have been built adjacent to older ones, with 14 more scheduled for renovation, the official said. The new units are accessible to persons with disabilities and are being constructed with CSR funds from Sun TV Network.

Alibasha, a social worker who often brings groups of children to the zoo, said the toilet upgrades were long overdue. “On earlier visits, the poor condition of the toilets made the experience difficult, especially for children,” he said.