The Coimbatore corporation will soon come up with a master plan for creating a new zoo on 73 acres of land at Ettimadai close to the Kerala border.

The city will get a new zoo on its outskirts and a team of experts from the Central Zoo Authority have already identified 73 acres of land for this at Ettimadai on the foothills of the Western Ghats. "There is no big zoo for the animals of the Western Ghats, some of which are unique to the region. The Ettimadai zoo will take care of this," says corporation commissioner Anshul Mishra.

"The contour mapping for the zoo has been done. The survey was slightly delayed because of the elections. However, we will resume it now. We are in the process of identifying a consultant for the master plan. We also have to get government approval to acquire a few more acres of land in the region," Mishra said.
The expert team visited the corporation-run VOC Zoological Park and has proposed that the animals and birds be shifted to the upcoming zoo. "We spend about Rs 40-45 lakh per year on maintaining the old zoo. But since we are ultimately going to shift it, we have not spent much on infrastructure," said Mishra, explaining why the present zoo is in a bad state.

"The land in Ettimadai is suitable for a zoo since it is flat and has no undulations. We are also consulting with the forest department in this regard," he said.

The shifting of the zoo to the outskirts of the city has been a long pending issue. Some activists had accused the zoo management of neglecting the animals. Denying this, Mishra said, "There is some infighting among animals. So they get wounded".

Mishra also pointed out that the new zoo would not be a showcase for animals. "I firmly believe that zoos are for educational value. They are not for entertainment. So please don't expect a neat, clean zoo," he said.