Visitors can now purchase approved food to feed animals at Dehiwala Zoo

• There were people who genuinely cared for animals and this could be a better opportunity for them

By Rekha Tharangani Fonseka  

The Deputy Director of the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens, Anoma Priyadarshani, said that visitors who desired to feed the animals in the zoo had been provided with the facility to feed animals by purchasing the required varieties of food inside the Zoo through a systematic method this year.  

This move was taken to prevent individuals from feeding unsuitable food to animals which make them sick.  

She made this remark, when inquired about the current condition of the zoo.  

She said that there were instances when animals became extremely sick as a result of being fed oily food, sometimes in plastic bags by the visitors.   
“There were people who genuinely cared for animals and this could be a better opportunity for them,” she added.   

She also said that visitors were not allowed to bring their own animal food and they could purchase suitable food from the Nutrition Section of the zoo by informing officials of their requirements when buying tickets. 

Since there was a specific time slot allocated to feed animals, visitors were not allowed to feed them at unsuitable hours and those who wished to perform alms giving by feeding animals, could do so after informing the office, she added.   

A receipt would be issued when buying animal food, therefore anyone other than the issuer of receipts should not be paid. She also requested visitors not to throw flavoured, artificial, salty and oily food in plastic bags and invited them  to feed animals in a organised manner with the new method introduced.  

She also said that there were instances reported of visitors harming animals by throwing stones, sticks and plastic wrappers into cages. She asked visitors to refrain from 
such activities.