Adopt and pay for their upkeep

Last year, the Vandalur Zoo received Rs 30 lakhs worth of donations, just for adoptions. All animals are open to adoption and there is no minimum amount or fixed period of time for adopting an animal. While S Vinod and his wife Palamathi contributed a bulk amount of Rs 10,000 earlier this year, K Prakash makes a donation of Rs 500 per month and makes a bigger donation on special occasions.Prakash, a senior citizen, wants to make adoptionsupport of animals a family tradition, “I am saving my pension so that I can keep donating, and I tell my sons who are grown up now to do the same.” He adds, “One of my sons is getting married soon, and he will be giving Rs 2,000 on that day.” For Vinod, the contribution is more specific. He says, “We used to keep birds at home at one point, but after seeing them caged inside, I became completely against it.” Going to the zoo almost every other week, he found this option available and shortly after made his donation. “So now, my wife and I have adopted four exotic parrots and we hope to make another donation next year,” he says.Even celebrities are becoming more aware of this cause and donating generously.Last year, actor Karthi adopted a white tiger named Namratha and contributed Rs 72,000 (which would cover six months of her expenses). He was quoted saying, “Awareness has to be created in the need to protect the animals, and I would like to visit the various wildlife sanctuaries during my free time.” Dr Manimozhi recalls, “In the past we have had members of the public bring injured snakes to us, elephant cubs, sometimes we receive a rare species that needs special care and diet such as the Slendor Loris (nocturnal primate found in tropical rainforests) that we rescued a few years ago.” He adds that you can call the wildlife warden if you find an animal being illtreated.“We assure you that the animal will be brought to safety.” For adoption details, call the zoo office at 22751089.