No income, Snake Park staring at closure

No income, Snake Park staring at closure

Oppili.P@timesgroup.com

Chennai:15.06.2021 

The city’s iconic snake park, a pioneer in educating people on reptiles, is staring at closure. Since March 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, collection from visitors, the main source of revenue, has dwindled and the authorities are struggling to pay salaries to workers.

In normal times, executive chairman S Paulraj said, the annual revenue through visitor entry tickets was around ₹75 lakh (₹6.5 lakh-₹7 lakh per month). Of this, nearly ₹4 lakh a month was spent on salaries for the 20-plus workers and another ₹2 lakh for feeding the reptiles.

Now, with the park locked down and reserve funds fast depleting, it is crisis time, he said. Last year, the park managed the salaries and feed expenses, thanks to some generous donations, Paulraj said.

Despite the tremendous difficulties in getting funds, the park at the height of the pandemic managed to successfully breed Gangetic Ghariyals and pythons in captivity. “This is considered an important achievement with regard to conservation, but it has added to the financial stress of the park,” he said.

The park now houses about 300 reptiles comprising 20 species of snakes, three species of crocodiles, lizards and turtles.

In an effort to tide over the crisis, it has been proposed to run the park with a reduced staff strength and with a 50% pay for the next couple of months.

The Trust that runs the park, being a non-profit organization, has not retained the excess revenue of the past years and has appealed to both the state governor and chief minister to provide funds for running the park and to overcome the financial conditions, he added.

CITY LANDMARK: Indian rock python hatchlings hatched successfully at the snake park in July 2020, at the height of the pandemic