International zoo to be established in Pokhara

POKHARA, Apr 4: United Club Pokhara is all set to start construction of an international zoo in Lekhnath Municipality in Kaski.Zoo Construction Committee Coordinator and United Club Pokhara Chairman Himalaya Bakhrel said that the foundation stone for the international zoo would be laid at Pachbhaiya of the municipality within a week.

The club has been conducting preliminary assessment to construct the zoo in collaboration with local government bodies for the past five years.

Pachbhaiya Community Forest Users’ Group, Chainpur Community Forest Users’ Group and Chapriyani Community Forest Users’ Group at Wards no 11, 12 and 14 of Lekhnath Municipality have already handed over 150 hectare of land for the construction of the zoo.

The zoo, once construction is over, will be home to 134 species of animals including leopard and deer along with more than 336 species of flora, said Bakhrel.

According to Damodar Bhakta Thapa, tourism entrepreneur, of Pachbhaiya, they had provided the land for the construction of the zoo hoping that it would help in development of Rupa Lake and Begnas Lake.

United Club Chairman Bakhrel held that forest area of Pachbhaiya was suitable for zoo construction. He informed that a team of experts would be sent to the Pachbhaiya area for survey work in collaboration with the District Development Committee at the earliest.