Arignar Anna Zoological Park
Arignar Anna Zoological Park (abbreviated AAZP), also known as the Vandalur Zoo, is a zoological garden located in Vandalur, to southwest of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, about 31 kilometres (19 mi) from the Chennai Central and 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from Chennai Airport. Established in 1855, it is the second public zoo in India. It is affiliated with the Central Zoo Authority of India. Spread over an area of 602 hectares (1,490 acres), including a 92.45-hectare (228.4-acre) rescue and rehabilitation centre. The zoo houses 2,553 species of flora and fauna across 1,265 acres (512 ha). As of 2012 the park houses around 1,500 wild species, including 46 endangered species, in its 160 enclosures. As of 2010, there were about 47 species of mammals, 63 species of birds, 31 species of reptiles, 5 species of amphibians, 28 species of fishes, and 10 species of insects in the park. The park, with an objective to be a repository of the state's fauna, is credited with being the second wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu after Mudumalai National Park.
| Arignar Anna Zoological Park | |
|---|---|
The main entrance of the zoo | |
| 12.87917°N 80.08167°E | |
| Date opened | 1855 (as Madras Zoo) 1985 (in current location) |
| Date opening | 24 July 1985 |
| Location | Vandalur, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Land area | Total: 602 ha (1,490 acres) Zoo: 510 ha (1,300 acres) Rescue and Rehabilitation Center:92.45 ha (228.4 acres) |
| No. of animals | 2,644 (2018) |
| No. of species | 171 (2018) |
| Annual visitors | 2.04 million (2018–2019) |
| Memberships | CZA, WAZA |
| Major exhibits | Tiger, leopard, lion (hybrid), wild dog, lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, hyena, jackal, blackbucks, Indian bison, barking deer, sambhar, spotted deer, crocodile, snakes, water birds, Indian Rhinoceros |
| Website | https://www.aazp.in/ |