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.
Read more: http://www.punchng.com
No comments:
Post a Comment