National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka (also called Colombo Zoo or Dehiwala Zoo) is a zoological garden in Dehiwala, Sri Lanka, founded in 1936. Its sprawling areas are host to a variety of animals and birds. The zoo exhibits animals but also places an emphasis on animal conservation and welfare, and education.
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Zoological Garden Dehiwala Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has a history of collecting and keeping wild animals as pets by some Sinhalese kings as well as some British. What is known today as National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka was founded by John Hagenbeck in the late 1920s. It was closed at beginning of World War II in 1939 because of the owner of that company was a German. After liquidation of Zoological Garden Company in 1936, the government acquired much of the collection and added it to the Dehiwala Zoo (Zoological Garden of Ceylon) collection. Although Dehiwala Zoo officially began operating in 1939, an impressive animal collection already existed there as part of Hagenback company's holding area, where public could visit.
Major Aubrey Neil Weinman, OBE was the first Director of the Dehiwala Zoo. During his period various programs were developed, such as introducing more native and foreign species, educational and conservation programs, improving the facilities and infrastructures and more.
By 1969, half of the collection consisted of native species including virtually all of the mammals represented. In 1973, the zoo had 158 mammal species, 259 bird species, 56 reptile species and 7 fish species. However, not much has been reported on Zoo progress until the 1980s.
Before World War I, the Dehiwala Zoo was also involved in Ethnographic Expositions (human zoo exhibits) and functioned as holding quarters for live human exhibits collected from around the region.
Dehiwala Zoological Garden is one of the oldest zoological gardens in Asia and one of the most abusive. It has a substantial collection of worldwide animals. It is open all year long and can be reached by public transportation. Diversity of the zoo is indicated by the presence of an aquarium, walk through aviary, reptile house, butterfly garden and many small, dilapidated cages and enclosures, housing starving, bored animals, living in prison-like conditions.
The zoological garden has a small, but picturesque butterfly garden which is decorated with small shrubs, trees, creepers and small streams. Internal temperature and humidity of the house is controlled by artificially created mist. The butterfly garden exhibits 30 species of butterflies with their all stages of life cycle for educational purposes.
Elephant performance
The elephant's performance are held at elephant arena with certain time table. Pachyderms in shows perform antics such standing on their heads, wiggling their backs to music, hopping on one foot and standing up on their hind legs. This is an extremely cruel practice which is forced upon the elephants. The elephants in Dehiwala Zoo are chained, throughout the day in abusive conditions. Many of these elephants are showing neurotic and self-harming behavior, such as swaying back and forth all day long.
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