Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India:

Arignar Anna Zoological Park is located in Vandalur, near Chennai. This Zoo is also known as Vandalur Zoo. Located about 30 kms from Chennai City. The Park was the first public zoo in India

Vandalur Zoo is originally created in 1855 near Park Town, Chennai City. Later in 1875, this zoo had expanded and moved out of the city. In 1979, the Tamilnadu Forest department moved this zoo to Vandalur reserve forest, which is occupied about 1300 acres. This zoo was inaugurated in year 1985 and it's one of the largest in South Asia.

This Zoo is habitated wide rang of animals and birds. There are totally 81 enclosures. More than 170 species of mammals, aviaries and reptiles are exhibited in the zoo.


The zoo's ecosystem consists of dry deciduous and dry evergreen scrub forest receiving an average annual rainfall of 1400 mm. The zoo is named after renowned Tamil politician, Arignar Anna. The zoo attracts nearly 800,000 visitors annually.

Notable Species:

Many types of deer ranging from barking deer, sambar, blackbuck, nilgai, sangai, hog deer.
Monkey species - Nilgiri Langur, the endangered lion-tailed Macaque, Babboon, Hanuman Languor and Leaf capped Languor.
Wolf, Jackal, Hyena, llama and Otter.
Higher carnivores like the tiger, lion, panther, jaguar
Elephants, giraffes, deers and camels
Star tortoises.
Snakes.
Tropical mammals, birds and reptiles.

Visitor Info:

The zoo is open from 9.00am to 8.00pm all days, except Tuesdays. All the animals, especially the big cats are back in their cages after 5.00pm. So, most tourists prefer to visit these before going on to the other exhibits.

One can easily end up walking 10-15 km across the stretch of the park. The battery-operated vehicles are also available for rent. Currently, there are about 9 such vehicles apart from 4 battery-operated vans used for lion safari. There are plans to buy 10 more battery-operated vehicles. Each vehicle carries approximately 15-20 people. A trial program of 20 rental bicycles for visitors, including 5 for children, was launched in 2008. The bicycles are an eco-friendly option that it is hoped will reduce the high demand for the battery-operated cars. There is a restaurant, an ice cream parlor and a drinks counter - all situated near the entrance. However, there aren't too many refreshment counters within the zoo.

Elephant safari is introduced in the zoo starting from the summer of 2008. Visitors can travel on elephants for a tour around the zoo. The safari is available between 9.30am and 11.30am and between 4.00pm and 5.00pm.

There are also lion safari park and deer park in the zoo, and visitors could see the animals in their natural habitats. The deer park, inaugurated in September 2008, is spread over 30 hectares (about 75 acres) and has more than 100 animals including sambar and spotted deer. Other exclusive sections in the zoo include the Nocturnal section, Reptile section and aquarium. The zoo also has a library with a collection of wildlife-related books.

More Photos:
Vandalur Zoo Info and Photos
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