The Mahendra Choudhary Chhatbir Zoological Park is likely to retain the elephants, which were the main source of attraction for visitors, after a team of Central Zoo Authority (CZA) found adequate arrangements and facilities for the upkeep of elephants here. In November 2009, CZA had issued a notice to all the zoos across the country, asking to shift all the elephants to national parks, sanctuaries and tiger reserves as soon as possible. The directive had cited that a zoo environment was not the best place for elephants, who require a large area to move about freely. Chhatbir zoo authorities had, however, claimed to have the sufficient space and a suitable atmosphere for the elephants and requested the CZA to check the zoo before calling back its elephants. A team of two officials, comprising Monetary Evaluator Brij Kishore Gupta and Suparna Ganguly from an NGO, visited the zoo and expressed satisfaction with the facilities.
Zoo Field Director Churchil Kumar said the team was satisfied with the atmosphere for the upkeep of elephants.
