Animal adoptions rise at Visakhapatnam zoo as families celebrate birthdays with wildlife

On the morning of his birthday, instead of gifts, chocolates, and cakes, Sohan Gowtham Yenneti had something else in mind. A frequent visitor to Visakhapatnam’s Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP), he wanted his special day to include the animal he always stopped to admire. He ‘adopted’ a red-necked wallaby under the zoo’s animal adoption programme, adding his name to a steadily expanding list of citizens who are finding uncommon ways to support wildlife conservation.

His decision reflects a growing trend at the zoo over the past year. Symbolic animal adoption, once an occasional gesture by wildlife enthusiasts, is drawing increasing participation from families, school children, corporate organisations and individuals who wish to mark birthdays, anniversaries and other milestones with a contribution that extends beyond a single day. A symbolic adoption is a charitable donation rather than physically taking an animal home.