Penguin exhibit to open at Byculla zoo before BMC polls

Mumbai: The penguin enclosure at the Byculla zoo is finally ready and will open within few days to the public. The zoo authorities are racing against time to complete construction of the entire exhibit area so that it can open within a fortnight. Shiv Sena, the ruling party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has planned to inaugurate the project just days before the upcoming civic polls so that it can boost its trademark ‘Karun Dakhavle’ campaign.

According to the sources, the civic officials have been given strict instructions to complete the entire process before February 15, so that penguins are open for public viewing before the polls. According to the zoo officials, a team of experts from Thailand has completed the task of fitting acrylic glass. The glasses are transparent, through which public can view the penguins. The waterproofing of the exhibit area has also been carried out.

“We are now waiting for water proofing chemical to dry up. After this, disinfection process would be carried out so those penguins are kept in the non-contagious area. The experts from Microbiology staff of KEM Hospital would be asked to collect swabs to ensure proper disinfection of the area,” said a zoo official. “After the entire process is completed, penguins will be kept in the prohibited area. But our main task will be to make sure that penguins adapt with the public, as they are very private birds by nature. The number of viewers will be gradually increased,” he added.