Ambanis plan zoo with Komodo dragons, 100 species of birds, animals

We know about the world’s tallest statue in Gujarat – the towering Statue of Unity featuring the Iron Man of India who united 500 princely states into the Indian Union, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. And now the state has another surprise for you: it’ll have one of the world’s largest zoos in Jamnagar.

Being built by the Reliance Industries Limited, which operates the largest oil-refining complex in Gujarat, the zoo will house Komodo Dragons, cheetahs, and birds in over 250-acre land. It will be called ‘Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Kingdom,’ PTI reported. The Komodo dragon, also known as the Komodo monitor, is a species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo.

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) was submitted along with the Master (Layout) Plan for the proposed establishment of the zoo in Jamnagar by Reliance Industries Limited and was reportedly approved by the 33rd Meeting of the Central Zoo Authority in February 2019.

“One of the world’s biggest zoos, in terms of number and species of animals at one place, is coming up very shortly in Jamnagar,” PTI quoted MK Das, additional chief secretary in Chief Minister’s office as saying. It is due to open in 2023.

As per the reports, the zoo will have birds and animals from across the world in sections named Frog House, Dragon’s Land, an Insectarium, Land of Rodent, Aquatic Kingdom, Forest of India, Marshes of West Coast, Indian Desert, and Exotic Island.

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These animals are likely to be the part of the zoo — the African Lion, Cheetah, Jaguar, Indian Wolf, Asiatic Lion, Pygmy Hippo, Orangutan, Lemur, Fishing Cat, Sloth Bear, Bengal Tiger, Malayan Tapir, Gorilla, Zebra, Giraffe, African elephant and Komodo Dragon.

A Reliance representative declined to comment on the cost of the project or give further details, NDTV said. The Ambanis are worth about $80 billion, and their business empire covers technology and e-commerce.

They also own the Mumbai Indians cricket team and started a soccer league in 2014. As the family fortune grew, the clan increased its focus on public-facing ventures – Mukesh Ambani’s wife, Nita, even joined the board of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2019.

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