Ibadan Zoo
After the payment of the required fee, visitors are allowed into the University of Ibadan Zoological Garden, which is almost as old as the premier university itself. The first sight that confronts the visitor seen is the different species of birds like geese, parrots, and ducks in their cages.
Each cage has a label that offers information on the species of birds or animals, and this include their biological and common names, habitat, feeding and sleeping habits, and so on. A detour will reveal a water-moat enclosure, where crocodile sun themselves. This leads to the reptile house, where different species of snakes, turtles, and monitor lizards from around Africa are kept in a safe glass container.
Visitors are warned not to touch the glass for their own safety. As is the case in every section of the zoo, each glass container has a label offering information about the animal that lives there.
The exit from the reptile house leads to tall iron cages holding different species of monkey, chimpanzees, and orang-utan. A walk further into the zoo and one sees the wild boar lounging in the mud at the water-moat enclosure. Right beside it is a cage where a fox inhabits. Adjacent to it is a stable housing a horse.
A climb down the bamboo bridge leads to the lion enclosure, where a pride of lions are kept. A lucky visitor might witness the feeding of these ferocious creatures with live goats. After that are cages holding hyenas, an ostrich, antelopes, camels, and herby goats.
Indeed, there is much to see in the old zoo at the University of Ibadan.
The zoological garden is one of the oldest zoos in Nigeria. It was originally created in 1948 as a place to house the animals used for research and teaching in the Zoological Department of the university. It became a fully fledged zoo and opened to the public in 1963.
Built on 10 acres of land, a curator, Mr. Bob Golding, was appointed to manage it. He later expanded and diversified the animal collection. The zoological garden soon became a popular site where many people went for relaxation and to view the wild animals in a safe environment.
At inception, the garden held a promise of time and money well spent, and many people visited it to view the various animals on display. With a collection of various wild animals, the zoo soon became a major point of attraction for visitors to the university. Indeed, with a wide array of exotic species from different places in and out of Nigeria, by 1979, authorities say, the zoo had received almost a quarter of a million visitors.
After a while, the number of visitors to the zoo started to dwindle, as it became a victim of what observers call the ‘Nigerian factor‘, otherwise known as mismanagement. Many animals died and they were not replaced. Some animals became malnourished and consequently began to die one after the other. Eventually, the zoo that was once booming with visitors soon became a ghost of itself. Popular animals that have been the favourites of visitors, like the old tortoise, the gorilla ‘Haruna‘ that usually interacted with the crowd and the extreme large python died and were never replaced.
Most people who had visited the zoological garden in the past year expressed their disappointment at the state of the zoo, especially the perceived lack of care it had fallen to. However, our correspondent‘s visit to the zoo a fortnight ago revealed that things were looking better for the animals, as there were noticeable efforts on the part of the management to improve the state of the garden.
The positive change came when the directorship of the zoo was turned over to a lecturer at the Zoological Department, Dr. Aina Adeogun, who took on the job with passion. Adeogun, who claims to have a passion for the environment and animals, deployed her energy and attention on the zoological garden, getting agencies to donate for its upkeep.
Under Adeogun‘s leadership, the garden has become a functional recreational centre. Again, the garden gained attention when Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God visited it when he held an outreach programme in the higher institution. He reportedly donated a million naira for the upgrade of the zoological garden. This opened the floodgate of donations by other prominent individuals, who also donated towards the resuscitation of the zoo.
Another major contribution towards the upgrade of the zoological garden was when the former vice-chancellor of the institution, Prof. Olufemi Bamiro, commissioned N10m worth of three gazebos donated by Prince Oladeinde. Today, the gazebos stand proudly in the centre of the zoological garden and visitors can sit under for shade against the sun and use them for social events. There are other pleasant changes to the zoological garden, as the fountain built years ago and which had stopped functioning now flows with water.
The animals also, especially the lions, look well fed and active. Efforts to get more exotic animals such as elephants and gorillas are being made, says a member of the zoological staff.
There are promises of other development as the management of the zoological gardens as being reportedly given to engineer Yemisi Shyllon who has previously through his art foundation (OYASAF) Omoba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon art foundation redeveloped the physical environment of the garden.
Once more, the zoological garden is becoming a tourist centre in Oyo State.
Source:http://www.punchng.com/
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