Yadanabon Zoological Gardens
Encyclopedia
The Yadanabon Zoological Gardens is a zoo
in Mandalay
, Myanmar
. The zoo has nearly 300 animals, including tigers, leopards and elephants, and houses the only potential captive breeding group of Burmese Roofed Turtle
s (K. trivittata) in the world.
According to a March 2011 report by a Yangon-based news magazine, the zoo reportedly is under consideration for privatization.
and was established in 1989. The zoo is opened on 8th April 1989. In 2003, its facilities were upgraded for K500 million. Part of the upgrade program included a dedicated K. trivittata enclosure with a larger ground pond, built with emergency funds donated by BTG Studios of Sydney and Allwetterzoo Münster of Germany.
s (G. platynota).
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
in Mandalay
Mandalay
Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of one million, and is the capital of Mandalay Region ....
, Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
. The zoo has nearly 300 animals, including tigers, leopards and elephants, and houses the only potential captive breeding group of Burmese Roofed Turtle
Burmese Roofed Turtle
The Burmese roofed turtle is a species of turtle in the Geoemydidae family.It is endemic to Burma. Of eight known individuals worldwide, five are currently in captivity at the Yadanabon Zoological Gardens in Mandalay, Burma....
s (K. trivittata) in the world.
According to a March 2011 report by a Yangon-based news magazine, the zoo reportedly is under consideration for privatization.
History
The zoo is located at the foot of Mandalay HillMandalay Hill
Mandalay Hill is a 240 metre hill that is located to the northeast of the city centre of Mandalay in Burma. The city took its name from the hill. Mandalay Hill is known for its abundance of pagodas and monasteries, and has been a major pilgrimage site for Burmese Buddhists for nearly two centuries...
and was established in 1989. The zoo is opened on 8th April 1989. In 2003, its facilities were upgraded for K500 million. Part of the upgrade program included a dedicated K. trivittata enclosure with a larger ground pond, built with emergency funds donated by BTG Studios of Sydney and Allwetterzoo Münster of Germany.
K. trivittata
Yadanabon Zoo is notable for having the five of these turtles, out of a worldwide known population of eight. These five include one adult male, two adult females, and a juvenile male and female. According to Gerald Kuchling, The Turtle Survival Alliance is working closely with the zoo to help care for the turtles, as well as a breeding program for Burmese Star TortoiseBurmese Star Tortoise
The Burmese star tortoise is becoming extinct in its native Myanmar . It lives in the dry, deciduous forest, and is eaten both by the native Burmese, and is traded to the Chinese, where it is sometimes found in the food markets. It is on CITES Appendix II, meaning a permit from the country of...
s (G. platynota).