By Risidra Mendis

The Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage in Kegalle had for many years been an often visited place for both locals and foreigners alike to watch elephants, as they walk one behind the other heading to the river to bathe. The latest attraction for the people of Kegalle and the adjoining areas was the much awaited first Open Air National Zoological Gardens at Pinnawela, which was declared open by Tourism and Sports Minister, Navin Dissanayake on 17 April 2015 amidst a large gathering.

The Pinnawela National Zoological Gardens is situated close to the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage. It is located on 42 acres of land and is a beautifully landscaped Zoo with lush greenery and colourful flowers and is expected to attract a large number of visitors in the coming days.

The Open Air Zoo cost Rs 862 million to build. Rs 488 million was given by the Treasury and the rest was from the Zoological Development Fund.

“Out of the 42 acres only 25 acres were developed prior to the opening of the Zoo. The Zoo has a leopard enclosure, a mixed deer enclosure and a petting area. The animals presently at the Pinnawela Zoo include leopards, donkeys, deer, pelicans, monkeys and ponies. A baby wild boar, rabbits and a few varieties of birds are in the petting area,” National Zoological Gardens Director General Anura de Silva said.

A dream come true

He also said the opening of the Pinnawela Zoo was a dream for the people of Kegalle which has now come true. He stated the Pinnawela Zoo was a gift from the government to the people of Kegalle. “On many occasions we tried to open this Zoo but failed due to many obstacles. Even on the 17th we were not sure whether we could open this Zoo without any obstacles and protests from certain people,” de Silva explained.

He added the day before the Zoo was to be opened he received a call from a person who had tried to convince him to refrain from opening the Pinnawela Zoo. “This was the fifth time that we tried to open this Zoo and at last succeeded. The plan to construct this Zoo commenced in 2002. The construction work started in 2002 and continued till 2008. Then it had to be stopped suddenly. Former Labour and Labour Relations Minister Gamini Lokuge, recommenced this project in 2009.

In 2010 work on the Zoo came under the Economic Development Ministry and a decision was taken to make this Zoo an open air one. “The design of the zoo and the suitable areas where the animals to be kept was done by the National Zoological Garden’s Dehiwala staff,” De Silva said.

Dharmasiri Senanayake

“The idea of giving the people of Kegalle a National Zoological Garden was first brought forward by the late Minister of Tourism and Aviation Dharmasiri Senanayake. I didn’t do much for this project but only helped to speed up the process as the money collected for this project belonged to the people.
I got a call on 16 April 2015 asking me not to go ahead with the opening of this Zoo. But I went ahead with the plans to open this Zoo and today the people of Kegalle have a Zoo at last,” the Tourism and Sports Minister Navin Dissanayake explained.
“Officials in the former government could have easily taken steps to open this new Zoo. The Pinnawela Zoo was not opened all these years because of some officials in the former government made use of this project to earn money. Dissanayake was very supportive to get this Zoo open to the public and helped in speeding up the process,” Member of Parliament Sandeep Samarasinghe said.

Welfare of the people

Though the people of Kegalle have got a Zoo the minister is more interested in the welfare of the people of Kegalle than the animals at the Pinnawela Zoo. In his speech he said the income of this Zoo would be fully utilized for the benefit of the people of Kegalle.

The minister’s comment was further supported by two incidents that took place at the Pinnawela Zoo soon after the opening where the children were seen harassing the donkeys. One child was chasing a baby donkey and scaring the poor animal and another child was seen holding a baby donkey and pulling its ears. There was no Zoo official present there to see that the animals were not harassed by the visitors.

The opening of the Pinnawela Zoo was politicized as a large crowd of people pushed their way into the Zoo and were even seen at the press conference that the minister conducted.

Highways and Investment Promotion Minister Kabir Hashim while addressing the media and the public decided to politicize this event and reminded the people about the new government’s achievements.

“17 April 2015 is a special day as the people of Kegalle now have got a Zoo. After the new government was formed people now have freedom of speech where they can talk without fear just like the animals that have the freedom to roam in the Pinnawela Zoo. For the past 25 years the former government made no attempt to open this Zoo, but now they are saying we are opening this Zoo to get publicity for ourselves.

Prior to the opening of the Zoo Samarasinghe had been calling me three times a day asking me to ensure that this Zoo would be opened for the public. This man has worked very hard to make the opening of this Zoo a reality. I am asking all of you to vote for this man and get him into Parliament at the next election,” Hashim said.

The minister while forgetting that he was addressing the media and the public about the new Zoo went on to talk about what the new government had achieved in their 100-day programme and about Mangala Samaraweera’s a achievements as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Courtesy: Ceylon Today