Over 5,000 visitors throng the Amirthi Zoo in Vellore for the CM’s birthday

On average, the zoo records 200-300 visitors per day. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

More than 5,000 visitors, mostly women and children, thronged Amirthi Zoological Park, located on the outskirts of Vellore Corporation, on Sunday and Monday for two days of free entry as part of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s birthday celebrations.

On average, the zoo records 200-300 visitors per day. “For the two-day event, we have had special arrangements including medical help desks, ambulances, additional water taps and bus services. A large number of sanitation workers have also been roped in to keep the premises clean and hygienic,” M. Murugan, head of Amirthi Zoo’s forest grounds, told The Hindu.

Zoo officials said two pairs of Nilgai antelope, a male leopard and several reptiles will soon be brought to the zoo as part of an animal exchange program to raise awareness among visitors about wild species.

Three years ago, the VOC Park Zoo in Coimbatore gave robber crocodiles, star tortoises and rat snakes to Amirthi Zoo after the Coimbatore Zoo was closed. In 2019, the zoo acquired a Sambara deer and several pelicans from Vandalur Zoo.

Published – 23 Jun 2026 22:54 IST