Several new zones opened at Ridiyagama Safari Zoo coinciding with World Animals Day

By Ifham Nizam

Agriculture, Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, yesterday, urged the public to take care of animals like their own children.

The Minister said so while participating in the opening of several new zones at Ridiyagama Safari Zoo, in Hambantota.

Among the new zones are a pet feeding zone, a bird park, a migratory bird care centre, a zone for herbivores, and an animal conservation breeding centre.

‍ The World Animals Day also fell yesterday and the National Zoological Department arranged to open new zones in the Ridiyagama Safari Park to celebrate the day. A large number of people including the Secretary to the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation, Chandra Herath, Director General of the Zoological Department, Tilak Premakantha participated in that event.

Professor Sevwandi Jayakodi delivered the guest lecture, and a group of animal experts including lawyer Jagath Gunawardena also participated.

“Considering the rate at which wild animals are becoming extinct, in the future some wild animals will only be seen by future generations in zoos and forest conservation centres like this one,” the Minister said.

The purpose of such national parks is to care for and conserve wild animals, as well as a way to earn foreign exchange needed by the country, he said.

“We know that the main problem we are facing today is the lack of foreign exchange. The tourism industry is the best opportunity to earn foreign exchange in this country.”

The tourism industry, which collapsed after the Easter suicide attacks, found itself in a further difficult situation with the Covid-19 pandemic.