Lee Durrell applauds Garchumuk zoo’s conservation, breeding efforts
Times of India | 30 January 2025
1234 Kolkata: Naturalist Lee Durrell showered praises on the Garchumuk Zoological Park near Howrah's Uluberia, commending the facility's breeding programme, animal care and conservation efforts, especially the fishing cat breeding programme and rewilding of the rescued felines.
"It is not just about displaying animals, it is also about education, research and ensuring the survival of species," said Lee, who visited the Garchumuk zoo on Wednesday. Emphasising that zoos like the one in Garchumuk played a critical role in conservation, she said, "I chose to come to this mini zoo to get a first-hand look at the role it was playing in rescuing, rehabilitating and rewilding animals. I wanted to see the challenges the zookeepers and staff faced in this remote and small facility. I must say they are doing a good job."
The zoo, which is close to 34 years old, is spread over 25 acres and houses over 50 species of animals.
As she went around the zoo, she offered suggestions to enhance the comfort and mobility of the animals and birds and ways to spread awareness among visitors. Keen to know about the local perspective, Lee asked for the Bengali names of several animals and how the local communities connected with the species there. She also asked about the visitor footfall, trying to understand the interest the zoo elicited among the people around.
Lee's interest in the local viewpoint could have stemmed from her personal connection with India. Her late husband, celebrated naturalist and author Gerald Durrell, was born in Jamshedpur. Lee had visited his birthplace during a trip to India in 2017.
One of the highlights of Lee's zoo visit was her close inspection of the night shelters for the fishing cats. She interacted with zookeepers, asking them detailed questions to find out if all the animal welfare norms were being strictly followed. She asked if the keepers petted the cats to tame them, to which the keepers replied they tried to maintain a distance. "The cats show aggression, which means they have retained their natural instincts," said Lee. She commended their efforts in rehabilitating rescued fishing cats and ensuring no inbreeding among them.
While she praised the zoo's efforts, she also offered a few suggestions: "The bird enclosures could be a little bigger, with more perching spaces. That would give them a more natural environment." She also recommended improving the labelling system at each enclosure to include information about the threats each species faced in the wild.
Zoo range officer Tapas Deb told Lee about the facility's breeding programme. "We have successfully bred species, such as crocodiles, deer, porcupines and emus, multiple times," said Deb. "This is a sign of a well-managed zoo, where animals feel secure and receive proper nutrition," said Lee.