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Forest
officials
decided
in
1960
that
including
rare
plants
and
animals
in
the Odisha pavilion
at
the
World
Agricultural
Fair
in
Delhi
would
help
increase
attendance.
Word
was
sent
to
the
forest
department
to
capture
as
many
small
animals
as
possible
for
the
display.
In
all,
the
forest
department
managed
to
capture
two spotted
deer (Axis
axis),
two barking
deer (Muntiacus
muntjak),
two black
buck (Antilope
cervicapra),
one mouse
deer,
one leopard
cat,
one flying
squirrel,
one racket-tailed
drongo,
one hornbill,
two
parrots,
two
hill
mynah,
one
peacock,
and
a
mongoose.
In
addition,
the
divisional
forest
officer
of
Deogarh
captured
a
pangolin
(scaly
ant-eater)
and
two
porcupines,
and
the
divisional
forest
officer
of Puri captured
a
pair
of
wild
boars
and
a
Python.
All
of
these
animals
were
delivered
to
the
Delhi
fair
and
exhibited
at
the
Odisha
pavilion.[8]
The
State
Finance
Department
raised
objections
to
a
zoo
in
Odisha
because
of
the
cost
of
both
establishing
and
maintaining
the
facility.
While
the
issue
was
being
debated,
animals
arrived
back
at
Bhubaneswar
in
May
1960,
posing
problems
to
the
forest
department
for
housing
and
feeding
them.
P.
Mohandra
(Divisional
Forest
Officer,
Puri)
and
G.
K.
Das
(Divisional
Forest
Officer,
Deogarh)
built
temporary
structures
at
Khandagiri
for
the
animals,
and
the
community
of
Jain
helped
feed
them.
Discussions
about
a
real
zoo
started
soon
after Dr.
H.
K.
Mahatab,
then
Chief
Minister
of
Odisha,
visited
the
animals.[8]
The
initial
proposal
placed
the
zoo
at
Ghatikia
close
to Khandagiri
and
Udayagiri caves.
However,
this
was
deemed
to
pose
water
problems
in
the
future.
A
zoo
needs
lot
of
water
to
meet
the
need
of
animals,
cleaning
of
animals
sheds
and
for
various
other
purposes.
The
then
Range
Officer,
Chandaka
suggested
Jujhagarh
forest
block
on
Kanjia
lake
near
Barang
Railway
station
as
the
most
ideal
location.
The
then
Chief
Conservator
of
Forests,
Divisional
Forest
Officer,
Puri,
Range
Officer,
Chandaka
and
D.P.
Ghosh,
Forest
Ranger
visited
the
place
and
were
impressed
with
its
scenic
beauty.
Kanjia
lake
with
its
vast
expanse
over
125
acres
low
and
undulating
hills
of
Jujhagarh
and
Krushnanagar
D.P.F.S.
with
lush
green
vegetation
on
both
sides
of
the
lake
presented
a
picturesque
site.
Jujhagarh
Forest
Block
had
all
the
advantages
for
locating
the
zoo
except
communication
from
Bhubaneswar
and
the
only
approach
was
via
Chandaka
covering
a
distance
of
38 km.
A
committee
consisting
of
Dr.
Radhanath
Rath,
Sri
G.C.
Dash
and Sri
D.N.
Choudhury,
the
then
Minister
of
Forests,
Secretary,
Forest
and
the
Chief
Conservator
of
Forests
respectively
visited
the
place.
They
were
very
much
impressed
with
its
aesthetic
beauty
and
recommended
location
of
the
zoo
there
with
construction
of
a
straight
road
(a
distance
of
14
to
15 km)
from
Bhubaneswar.
Accordingly,
it
was
decided
to
locate
the
Zoological
Park
in
Jujhagarh
Forest
Block,
Botanical
garden
in
Krushnanagar
Forest
Block
and
develop
Kanjia
lake
for
Boating
and
Angling.
The
Director,
Fisheries
agreed
to
develop
a
portion
of
the
lake
for
rearing
various
kinds
of
fish
for
visitors
to
see.
Initially
it
was
decided
to
keep
spotted
deer,
barking
deer,
black
bucks,
wild
boars,
sambars,
nilagai
and
bears
in
spacious
enclosures.
Other
animals
like
leopard
cat,
mongoose,
flying
squirrel,
porcupine,
python,
monkeys,
hyena,
jackal,
civet
cat,
pangolin,
jungle
cat,
parrots,
mynah
and
other
birds
in
suitable
cages.
It
was
decided
to
put
efforts
to
capture
tigers
and
leopards
which
could
be
exhibited
in
suitable
cages
for
the
time
being
and
the
suitable
spacious
enclosures
would
be
built
for
them
later
on.
It
was
also
decided
to
raise
a
good
flower
garden
and
to
plant
important
species
and
medicinal
plants
of
Odisha
inside
proposed
Botanical
garden
in
Krushnanagar
D.P.F.
Eventually
the
site
around
the
134-acre
(54 ha) Kanjia
Lake was
chosen.
The
lake
would
be
developed
for
recreation
as
well.
A
15-kilometre
(9.3 mi)
road
was
built
to
the
site,
and
Nandankanan
Biological
Park
was
officially
inaugurated
on
29
December
1960,
by
Sri
S.
K.
Patil,
then
Indian
M
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