ABHA (About Best Himalayan Adventures) – July 2019

with the help of pujari. And, easily and quickly feel

blessed.

We like the zoos as we are social animals. We set

up zoos for animals as well. Awareness is the main

motive behind both. Studying animals and saving

endangered animals are two more sacred purposes of

keeping animals in captivity.

But what about rights’ of the “less-abled than us?”

The animals also want freedom to choose their food,

shelter, and privacy. Do animals want roads in their

natural homes? Do they want home delivery of food?

They prefer foraging and hunting, I bet.

Many of us who either cannot travel to wilderness

or do not want to travel to wilderness desire to meet

the wildlife from around the world in a local zoo. An

easy and quick access to everything alters the organic

character as is happening in many places around the

world.

If everyone has same things or looks alike, the world

would be boring. Someone tried to grow an apple

in sub-tropical climate of Bengaluru. The apple

grows only in snow. Can a coconut grow in snow? If

everyone becomes fair physically, will the world be

fair or be fairer.

On April 27, 2019, I boarded a local blue bus for

Dehradun Mini Zoo from the Parade Ground. The

bus driver took all the passengers for a ride by

following the longest possible route covering most

of the city before dropping me and others at the

zoo. He stopped for a glass of cold sugarcane juice.

He collected ticket money before starting the bus.

And he did not leave before selling all the seats. All

involved parties had everything they wanted. The

passengers wanted an affordable easy fast means to

their destinations. They paid the driver in advance.

Was the driver fair?

I arrived in Dehradun on the weekend ignorant of the

fact that the museums I planned to visit open only on

weekdays. Generally, the museums remain open on

the weekends to ensure more and wider participation

in these educative and recreational initiatives.

Are zoos like museums? Somewhat. Zoos house live

animals. Museums store inanimate things including

fossils to document and establish links between

various stages of the human and natural world. These

establishments are kind of archives. Both have a

common purpose, educating and creating awareness

among as many as possible. Some museums have

live animals in aquariums. Others have simulated

animals to have the feel of the real. Do these

collections enhance artistic, historic, and scientific

knowledge?

Dehradun Mini Zoo gave me a chance to photograph,

relatively easily, the exotic, endangered, and the

least concerned colorful animals in less time for less

money. I observed many happy visitors. A visit to zoo

may add to your knowledge of the world of animals.

Next time you may be better prepared to identify

the animals and birds in wilderness. Your toddlers

and kids may shriek with joy at the sight of the

ornamental birds. They may ask you animal names

that you may not know. Read the information boards

beside each cell.

The animate and inanimate collections add volumes

to our artistic, historic, and scientific knowledge but

we are still struggling to find an optimized approach

to reverse the clichéd climate warming, traffic jams,

and the like.

(^332)
Volume 4, Issue 1 | June 2019