Thrissur: A new chapter in India’s wildlife heritage begins today as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurates the Puthur Zoological Park in Thrissur — the country’s first design-based zoo, which also stands as Asia’s second-largest and Kerala’s first zoological park.
Developed at a cost of ₹337 crore — including ₹331 crore from KIIFB and ₹40 crore from the state plan fund — the Puthur Zoo has been meticulously crafted to combine conservation, education, and tourism.
Spread across 336 acres with a 6.5 km perimeter, the park can accommodate over 500 animals across 80 species within 23 natural-style habitats, moving away from traditional enclosures to offer animals freedom in recreated ecosystems. Around 439 animals from the Thrissur Zoo will soon find a new home here.
The park’s first resident is Vaiga, a 13-year-old tiger from Neyyar. For visitors, the experience goes beyond the ordinary — a Pet Zoo allows direct interaction with select animals, while an AI-powered Virtual Zoo delivers a futuristic digital wildlife encounter.
To make exploration effortless, KSRTC double-decker buses will operate within the park, enabling visitors to hop on and off at various scenic points using a single ticket — a thoughtful move for those who wish to experience the zoo at their own pace.
Complete with visitor pathways, tram stations, rest facilities, a zoo hospital, water conservation plant, and quarantine centers, the park is built for comfort, safety, and sustainability.
Inspired by global and Indian biodiversity models, the park recreates natural habitats such as Silent Valley and Shola forests of Kerala, Kanha of Madhya Pradesh, and Africa’s Zulu savannahs. Each themed zone features flora and landscapes native to its ecosystem — from evergreen forests for lion-tailed macaques and Nilgiri langurs, to African plains for giraffes, zebras, and hippos, and Shola-style highlands filled with native trees, bamboo, and wildflowers. Even a mangrove ecosystem has been recreated to promote ecological balance.
With its innovative design and immersive experiences, the Puthur Zoological Park isn’t just a zoo — it’s a living, breathing tribute to nature, setting a new benchmark for wildlife conservation and eco-tourism in India.
