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Sri Venkateswara Wildlife Sanctuary & National Park

The Sri Venkateswara Zoo Park at Tirupati, as it claims to be, is indeed a Zoo with a mythological touch. The Zoo, classified as a ‘small zoo’ is the home for a wide range of Animals, Birds, Reptiles and Flora. The Zoo is spread on a 2212 Hectors of land and delights about 86 thousand visitors every year. The entrance of the Zoo Park depicts sculptures of Indian Gods who are icons for various animals. The entrance reads the famous quote, “I am the eternal seed of living beings” from the Bhagawad Gita.

The Zoo currently has 349 birds, 138 reptiles and 168 mammals. The Zoo is famous for the Stump-Tailed Macaque (Afacaca arctoides). The Status of Captive Primates in Indian Zoos by P.R.Sinha & Bipul Chakraborty said that there are 3 male and 1 female Stump-Tailed Macaques at the Zoo as on March 31, 1999.

The Zoo is claimed to be one of the most innovative zoo developed in the last three decades by India’s Central Zoo Authority. The Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation (APFDC) has identified the zoo park for the development of Eco-Tourism (ET) in the region.

Animal Species at the Zoo

A partial list of Animal Species at the Zoo is presented below.

• Rhesus macaque
• Bonnet macaque
• Stump tailed macaque
• Baboon
• Lion
• Tiger
• Leopard
• Dhole
• Indian fox
• Hyena
• Wolf
• Jackal
• Four horned antelope
• Chinkara
• Blackbuck
• Chital
• Sambar
• Nilgai
• Muntjac
• Sloth bear
• Porcupine
• Elephant
  
  

Visiting the Zoo

The Zoo is located in Pudipatla Post.The Zoo is 12 Kms from the Central Bus Station, 12 Kms from the Tirupati Railway Station and 31 Kms from the Airport.

June to March are the best months to visit the Zoo. The Zoo will be open from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM during Summer and between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. The Zoo will be closed for visitors on Mondays. However, it will remain open on Monday if it is a general holiday or a festive day.

Adults have to take a Rs. 5/- ticket while children aged between 5 and 12 need to take a ticket of Rs. 2/- at the entrance. School children who visit the Zoo in groups can get a free entry.

Who’s Who at the Zoo Park

The Zoo is administered by its Curator Dr. E Narasimhulu, IFS

Other Nearest Zoo Parks

The Other Zoological Parks in Andhra Pradesh are located at Jawaharlal Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad and the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Visakhapatnam.