Guwahati, Aug 23(ANI): A US-based Non-Resident Indian (NRIs), a rhino lover, has adopted a rhinoceros at a zoo in Assam.
Vavani Sharma, who has adopted the named 'Pori'. He has even made an dvance payment of 100,000 rupees.The adoption of the six-year-old female rhino would facilitate Sharma to take care of 'Pori' for the next one year.
Sharma said that he was hurt by reports about killings of rhinos in the state and has adopted 'Pori', as an effort on his part to conserve the species.
"Last year when I saw a rhino whose its horn was cut. I was hurt and decided to adopt the animal," said Sharma.The Assam Government started an adoption programme way back in 2005 to bring people closer to the animals and to promote protection of the endangered species by way of creating awareness and also reduce the Forest Department's financial burden in managing the zoos.
The State Government encourages NRIs to adopt animals at the zoo."We've started this program in the month of August 2005. This is the first case after the approval of the government that somebody has come forward to adopt an animal and that too a rhino," said Narayan Mahanta, DFO, Assam State Zoo.
The zoo authority provides free entries for a whole year to the family of the person who adopts animals.
Under adoption rules at the zoo, the adopter has to pay the money for the expenditure of the particular animal in advance.
There are different rules for adopting different animals depending on the size and age of the animal. For example, the adoption of a parakeet (a species of parrot) will cost 800 rupees annually.
However adopting bigger animals like an elephant would cost around 270,000 rupees a year, a full grown tiger 250,000 rupees, an Indian rhino 100,000 rupees and the rate varies with age of the animals. By Peter Alex Todd (ANI)
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