Karnataka > Mysore > Mysore Zoo
Mysore Zoo is one of the oldest and most popular zoos in Southern India. This situated in the edge of mysore city of Karnataka state in India. The official name for the zoo is Shri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens. It was established under royal patronage in 1892, making it one of the oldest zoos in the world. After independence the Zoo was gifted by the then Maharaja to the Department of Parks and Gardens of the Mysore State Government in 1948. After this the Zoo acquired another 50 acres of land belonging to the Palace. Later on the 150-acre Karanji Tank was also procured by the Zoo increasing the its size to the present 250 acres. The Zoo authorities started breeding rare animals as well. The zoo was given a face-lift modern enclosures were built. Man made island have been created in the Karanji Lake and converted into mini sanctuary for birds. Boating facilities are available.  In 1972 the Government handed over the Zoo to the Forest Department and it then entrusted it to an autonomous body in 1979. The Zoo Authority of Karnataka became the first autonomous body in the country to manage a zoo. A zoo has been able to breed various animals in captivity successfully. Today though the Mysore zoo is over a century old it has spacious enclosures, walk throughs, a veterinary hospital, with facility for quarantine, operation theatre, medicine rooms and wards for animals. The Mysore zoo is located at a distance of about 3 km from the City Bus Stand and 2 km from the Mysore Palace. The Mysore zoo is open from 8.30am to 5.30pm on all days except Tuesday.
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