India’s oldest zoo gets 150-year-old documents, hand-written records in digital format

KOLKATA: Do you know that three giant tortoises, one of them the popular ‘Adwaita’, had arrived at Alipore zoo — India’s oldest formally stated zoological park — on May 25, 1895, alongside a cheetah, a long-eared fox and two warthogs?
Similarly, a brow-antlered deer, presently an endangered species being captively bred at Alipore zoo, had arrived at the zoo in the same year on June 25. This was probably the first brow-antlered deer at the zoo.
These archival records may soon be readily accessible for researchers and enthusiasts. The zoo has digitised more than 2,000 such old documents, letters and hand-written records of daily proceedings.
These encompass hand-written records maintained by Ram Brahma Sanyal — its first superintendent — books handed over by Sir Jatindramohan Tagore, after whom the zoo library was named, and a copy of Sanyal’s zoo management handbook procured by a zoo in the US.
Nearly 5,000 new publications have also been reportedly digitised.
Former director of the zoo, Subhankar Sengupta, under whose tenure the work started, said that most of the job was over before his retirement.
“Some work remained that should be finished by now. The documents digitised include those in the Jatindramohan Tagore library located on the zoo premises and some found in the administrative offices. Though there was no immediate plan to make them publicly accessible, I am unaware of the current status,” he said.
Present director Arun Mukherjee said the digitisation work was ongoing. “Once over, a decision will be made regarding public accessibility. I personally believe such invaluable information, associated with the history of both the zoo and Kolkata, should be made public,” he added.
According to Sengupta, during digitisation, it emerged that Sanyal’s renowned ‘A Handbook on the Management of Animals in Captivity’ was sought after by zoos worldwide. “According to one document, London Zoo had expressed interest in obtaining a copy. A digitised copy of the handbook utilised in a US zoo was also recovered and excerpts were published in the book released recently as celebrations for the zoo’s 150th year started,” added Sengupta.
The zoo’s managing committee, in the late 1870s, had resolved to maintain a “day-to-day register” documenting details and behaviour of animals, with Sanyal assigned this responsibility. “Approximately, 200 pages of such records were found during digitisation. All were digitised,” said an official.