1.
P.C.Tyagi, I.F.S.,
Wildlife Institute of India
Dehradun

2.
Purposes
• Why is master planning particularly important for
zoological parks?
• A master plan creates a vision that is supported by
policies, guidelines, and priorities and guides the
development and evolution of the zoo.
• The benefits of an entirely in-house team may be
stronger local control of the project and lower
recognized costs
• Outside professionals, consultants who are trained
in design, planning, and facilitating, can bring
experience and specialized knowledge of new
trends and technology, as well as help avoid costly
mistake

3.
Goals
• Providing adequate space and services for the present and
future animal collection
• Providing a cohesive circulation pattern that emphasizes the
different zoogeographic areas of the zoo
• Creating unique visitor experiences
• Addressing needed facility as per CZA norms
• Providing more opportunities to incorporate storylines and
cultural themes to strengthen educational messages
• Strategically locating visitor services
• Creating more revenue generating opportunities
• Creating naturalistic habitats for a more efficient use of space
and disseminate information
• Minimizing service and visitor conflicts through a dedicated
service roads throughout the zoo
Streamlining Zoo Education Program
Ex-situ center fiscally and environmentally sustainable

4.
Master Plan
Master Plan is a document
which outlines the
Proposed all round
development of a zoo for
a reasonably long period of
about 10 to 20
years. However the factors
to be kept in mind
are;
•Space available
•Landscape
•Funding support
•Expectation of Visiting
People

5.
Recognition of Zoo Rules, 2009
1. Every zoo shall prepare and get the master plan approved
by the Central Zoo Authority.
2. Zoos which are in operation at the time of the
commencement of these rules, shall prepare and get the
master plans approved from the Central Zoo
Authority within one year from the date of
commencement of these rules. .
3. The master plan referred to in sub-paragraphs (1) & (2),
shall inter alia, include all round development of the zoo
for a period of twenty years which shall be revised every
ten years along with a detailed layout plan prepared on the
basis of the theme adopted by the zoo, indicating the
locations of green belts, lawns, gardens, animal display
area, visitor facilities, support infrastructure for
animal upkeep and healthcare, buildings for
administrative and maintenance unit.

6.
Recognition of Zoo Rules, 2009
(4)Atleast 30% of the area earmarked for the zoo
shall be kept under green belt and natural
vegetation and the area for animal housing shall
not exceed 30% area of the zoo.
(5)Every zoo shall take adequate care to locate and
design all ‘pucca’ buildings including the visitor
facilities in such a manner that the natural
landscape of the zoo and animal enclosures are
not masked and the cleanliness and hygiene of the
zoo is not affected.

7.
Recognition of Zoo Rules, 2009
(6). Every zoo shall, in consultation with the Central Zoo
Authority, prepare a collection plan indicating the names
of the species and maximum number of animals of each
species to be housed in the zoo, having due regard to the
congeniality of the climatic conditions of the locality for
the general health and well being of the species,
availability of the space and infrastructural support for
proper upkeep and healthcare of the species, proximity of
the zoo to the habitat range of the species and the past
record of the zoo in management and breeding of the
species and no zoo shall compromise on housing and
upkeep standards of animals for accommodating new
species or additional animals of the species in its
collection.

8.
Understanding the Zoo’s Present and Future
• To plan development as per theme, collection plan,
conservation priorities
• and convenience of management.
• To prevent unplanned growth based on individual whim or
uninformed public
• demand.
• To facilitate preparation of management plan/budget.
• To make proper personnel planning.
• To plan arterial roads and visitor amenities.
• For sustainable, judicious and aesthetic use of scarce land
resource.
• Priority allocation of scarce financial resource.

9.
Before drafting the master plan it is of utmost importance and
crucial to set your goal for the zoo, by the end of the plan period
and planning shall follow keeping that goal in mind.
• What will be the theme
• Eco system approach
• Will it house a particular class or order?
• High altitude species
 Conservation breeding centre
 Amusement park
 Safari park
 Nature education centre
 Etc?

10.
Design
Innovation
•What are the
most limiting
factors to zoo
improvement?
•Attitude of
scarcity
•Conservatism
that only copies
proven success
(and mistakes)
•Copies of
copies reduce
innovation
•International
best Practice-a
25 year old idea
that just got here
Design Innovation
• “Innovation does not
swim in the main
stream”
•Innovation prospers in
an environment of both
great need and great
freedom.
•Potential
breakthroughs are
found at the
intersections of strong
technologies or
philosophies
•Build bridges not
boxes, share ideas
freely

11.
Levels of Innovation
Business as usual
• Low risk
• Low gain!
Best Practice
• Modest risk
• Modest gain
Cutting Edge
• High risk
• Possible high gain! It is possible for a
zoo
• Next Generation Ideas
Very high risk
• resources to move
• Gains…unknown!
It is possible for zoo
anywhere in the world with
sufficient freedom,
imagination and resources to
move beyond the best
existing zoo in the world
The Zoo
Designer’s Dream

12.
Core Values Guiding Master Plan
• Excellence – Ex-situ conservation Centre of
excellance
• Conservation
• Innovation
• Collaboration – Partnership to fight decline of
species
• Integrity – Zoo Ethics
• Passion

13.
Animal collection plan
• Conduct strategic review of the species of animals and their
number to be housed in the zoo for preparation of animal
collection plan:-
• (a) Space available to each species/ animal and the space
actually required for housing all the animals of all the species
held in its stock, as per prescribed norms.
• (b) Past and present performance of the zoo in upkeep,
healthcare.
• (c) Records of births and deaths of the animals of each species
and the survival of the young ones.
• (d) Cost of upkeep and healthcare of each species.
• (e) Adopted theme of the zoo and the relevance of the species
in the thematic display.
• (f) Species identified for planned conservation breeding by the
zoo.
• (g) Species with surplus number of animals which are
available with other zoos.

14.
• Carryout strategic review and prepare plan.
• Enhance attractiveness of the zoo to regular and potential visitors by
displaying existing/new species in an innovative manner.
• Delete few common/least concerned species.
• Add new species which can be accommodated in the available space.
• Delete large charismatic species, which create problems in upkeep and
husbandry practices.
• Increase the existing habitat of species already displayed which require more
space.
• Delete common species with threatened species.
• Introduce new species, whose natural habitat/topography is similar to the zoo
habitat
• Avoid artificially creating new habitats for new introduced species because
the varied climate and topography will require extra efforts and energy for
maintenance in future.
• Prepare plan for disposal of surplus animals by exchange with other zoos or
creating of display enclosure for its housing till they are disposed.
• After the preparation of animal collection plan, we need to work out the site
concept/system of display of animals. Once this is decided, the layout plan
exercise can begin.
Prioritize animal collection.

15.
S
p
e
c
i
e
s
Present stock Proposed collection To be procured (+)
Removed(-)
Rema
rks
M F US Total M F US Total M F US Total
B
i
r
d
s
R
e
p
t
i
l
e
s
O
t
h
e
r
s
Animal Collection Plan

16.
Guiding principles for finalizing the collection
plans
• Large Zoo (National Collection)
• Wild animal species of the area/ locality/ ecosystem
the zoo is part of (around 30% of the total species
displayed);
• Representative wild animal species of region
(North, South, West, Central, East or North-east)
the zoo is part of depending upon suitability to the
climatic condition (around 30%),
• Representative wild animal species of the nation
which are comfortable in the climate of the zoo
(around 30%) and not more than 10% exotic wild
animal species (recent amendment 25%)

17.
Medium Zoo (Regional Collection)
• Wild animal species of the area/ locality/
ecosystem the zoo is part of (around 40% of
total species displayed);
• representative wild animal species of the
region the zoo is part of (around 40%) and
• not more than 10% selected species of
nation and exotics each.

18.
• Small Zoo (Local Collection)
• Wild animal species of the area/locality/
ecosystem the zoo is part of (around 60%),
re representative wild animal species which
are comfortable in the climate from the
region (20%), nation (10%) and exotics
(10%).
• Mini Zoo (Local common wild animal
collection) Few identified common wild
animal species of thearea/locality/ecosystem
the zoo is part of, may be 1-2 common
exotics wild animal species.

19.
Master Layout Plan
– Scale-1:1,000 to 1:5,000
– Contour interval-1m to 5m. as per
topography, Scale ,contour interval,
contour lines and north direction to be
indicated in the plan
– Show features (water bodies, forest
patches, precipices, structures and ruins,
rocks, visitor circulation, amenities,
drainage, water and power supply lines,
solid and liquid waste disposal, entrance,
approach, colony, parking lot,
administrative building , veterinary
hospital, feed store carcass disposal area,
surrounding area and topography etc.)

20.
• Layout plan should show clearly in the
following manner:
• Existing enclosures to be retained – Black
• Existing enclosures to be modified – Green
• Existing enclosures to be demolished and
redone – Red
• New enclosures to be constructed – Blue
• Structures other than enclosures can also be
given similar colours when retained modified
demolished or new.
• Power lines, sewerage lines, visitor
circulation, service paths and water supply
lines should be nearly shown in the layout plan

21.
CONTOUR MAP

22.
Topographic Analysis

23.
Existing animal enclosures (black colour),
enclosures to be modified (green colour)
Enclosures to be redone after demolishing the old structure (red colour),
Proposed new enclosures may be in blue colour
Model Master Layout Plan

24.
Unidentified Spaces
Land
Surface
and Land
form
Constructural Details

25.
Revenue Generating Strategies
• Zoo Entrance Frontage: Iconic entrance visible to the
public, not only creates an exciting, immersive entry portal
highlighting conservation theme but also acts as an
advertisement.
• Captive Animal Education Opportunity : Integrated and
immersive habitat of animals.
• Visitor Experience Hubs: Visitor amenities strategically
placed in major pathway intersections occur at the
appropriate time throughout a visit and provide animal
experience and natural orientation.
• Parking: Increased parking spaces within the Zoo
perimeter in structured parking, allow for visitation growth
and address existing parking demands.
• Food and Beverages for Visitors enhances revenue.

26.
Zoo Master Plan
The format
• Chapters
1. Introduction- (includes history, objectives, physical features like the
topography of the area, geology, rock & soil, flora and fauna, climate,
rainfall, season, approach, demography of the surrounding area, legal
status of the land, sources of pollution, if any etc.)
2. Appraisal of the present arrangement and constraints
a) Animal section, veterinary section, store and feed supply
section, sanitation section, maintenance section, security section, water
supply section, disposal of solid waste & liquid waste-sewerage, visitors
amenities, lawns and gardens-landscape section and any other section
peculiar to the zoo
b) Collection plan
c) General Zoo administration section
d) Research
e) Conservation breeding
f) Education and awareness
g) Any other activity peculiar/ unique to the zoo

27.
Part-II Chapters
1. Future objective including mission statement/ theme
2. Future action plan
a) Proposed animal collection plan including population size and
justification of keeping the endangered species.
b) Description of the layout plan of the zoo - (Annexe- layout map
on scale:
Layout map scale 1:1000 to 1:5000 contour interval 1mt to 5mt,
Existing features like water bodies, precipices, forest patches,
historical ruins, natural drainage, water channel, rock outcrops etc.
should be depicted. North/south direction, visitor circulation and
amenities, site for disposal of carcass, water and electricity supply
lines, solid and liquid waste disposal , approach road to the zoo and
paths, parking arrangement, gates and barriers, administrative
buildings- [zoo office, ticket counter, veterinary hospital], housing
colony, industries in the surrounding areas, rail, roads - sources of
pollution (if any)] For an existing zoo, other than the above features
the layout map should also show existing animal enclosures (black
colour), enclosures to be modified (green colour) and the enclosures
that need to be redone after demolishing the old structure (red
colour). Proposed new enclosures may be in blue colour.

28.
• c) Proposal to address the inadequacies and shortcoming
identified in the appraisal report
• New activities if any, intended to be taken up.
• d) Depending on the local condition of the zoo, other items may
also be added – peculiar problems of the zoo-like off display
conservation breeding centre and rescue centre.
3. Personnel planning:-
• This will provide the proposed cadre strength to manage
different works considering the activities indicated in the plan
including phasing of their deployment, outsourcing etc.
• 4. Disaster management
Plan to address problems faced during the natural calamities
(Fire control, flood, cyclone situations, law and order break
down, feed supply etc.)

29.
• 5. Contingency plan
• (1) Animal rescued from wild. (2) Escape of animals
from enclosures. (3) Monkey and dog menace. (4)
Arrangement of food in case of strike (non supply by
contractor) (5) Snake bite. (6) Visitors getting injured/
visitors falling inside enclosure. (7) Fighting among
animals (8) Epidemics (9) Breakdown of power supply
• 6. Capacity building
Plan to upgrade skills of zoo staff, interaction with other
zoos - regional cooperation.
• 7. E-governance
8. Broad budget analysis for implementing the plan
a) Construction and development
b) Day to day maintenance

30.
MANAGEMENT PLAN
• Document which will detail out the activities indicated
in the Master Plan of the zoo for a particular time
frame (1year to 5years),
• Prioritising of the works in phases and financial year
wise and provide realistic estimates of the proposed
works
• Revenue generated, funding expected from
government and other sources.
• Strategy to be adopted for achieving the goals
• Procedure to be adopted and person responsible for
carrying out different items of works with their
financial and administrative powers.
• Documen will guide the managers of the zoo for the
management plan period and facilitate the budgeting
and focussed development.
• New incumbent to carryout development without
dislocation.