Anacondas attract record income for Dehiwela Zoo

By Ananda Kannangara

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The National Zoological Park, Dehiwela earned a record income of over one million rupees during the past four days following the display of new born anacondas.

Over 60,000 locals and foreigners visited the Zoological Park during the period commencing from July 15.National Zoological Park, Director Dhammika Malsinghe told the Sunday Observer that this was the first occasion that a record number of people had visited the Zoological Park after the bomb blast that occurred inside the park a few months ago.

She said security was strengthened inside the premises following the incident and the number of visitors had improved sharply since then.

The green anaconda couple who was brought to Sri Lanka from South America five years ago had given birth to 23 offspring on July 12 inside a bare cage in the Dehiwela Zoological Garden. Three died after birth.

President, Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society, a scientific consultant in USA, Ravi Corea said that anacondas of South America do not lay eggs.

"They produce eggs which hatch inside the female's body and give live birth," he said.