Weekly Trust (Abuja)
Yushau Adamu Ibrahim, Kano
14 October 2007
Kaduna — It was Alhaji Audu Bako, former military governor of Kano State, who established the Kano Zoological Garden as part of his efforts to modernise the ancient city. During the commissioning of the zoo in 1972, Bako said, "At this time, both my friends and detractors have questioned my wisdom of having such a garden in Kano. But my main objectives in establishing such a recreational facility is to bring to our people different specimens of wildlife with particular emphasis on animals which are not now available in this country, but which have been exterminated by hunters as from 99 AD. In this year 1972, we are trying to regenerate these animals that have long lost for our present and future generations."
This is one of the three reasons that necessitated the establishment of the Kano Zoological Garden, according Alhaji Audu Bako. The second reason, according to late Bako, was to enable the general collections of animals, birds, reptiles, fish and insects in the garden to give an overall picture of their classification into different ecological areas. The third reason, he said, was for the garden to serve as source of animals, birds, reptiles, fish and insects which can later be taken to the Falgore Game Reserve after being bred in the zoo.
The Kano Zoo was established on November 13, 1972 and it was one of the legacies left behind by the former governor. He laid the foundation of the garden on November 14, 1971 and the project was completed exactly a year after. The zoo is located on Zoo Road in Gandun Albasa Quarters in Kano.
Like other zoological gardens, late Audu Bako Zoological and Botanical Garden was established for four main objectives: conservation, creation, education and research purposes.
At the inception, the zoo only covered 25 out of the 100 hectares reserved for the project with 60 different species comprising of 200 specimens of various animals, birds, insects and reptiles.
Weekly Trust learnt that the collection of species in the Kano zoo by far exceeds any of the existing collections in other zoological gardens across West Africa.
Although few animals, birds, insects and reptiles were lost at the garden, over 90 per cent of different species are still available in the garden. At present, the Kano Zoo has over 62 different species comprising of over 250 animals, birds, insects and reptiles.
Weekly Trust observed that although large animals such as elephants, zebra, leopard and kangaroos were no longer available at Gidan Zoo, smaller ones including birds, insects, reptiles, lions, giraffes, hyenas and hippopotamus could be found in the garden.
The initial stock of animals at the commissioning of the garden were obtained locally, while most of the ungulates such as zebra, elephant, rhino and leopard were imported from East Africa, Australia and Kenya.
But late Audu Bako was said to have donated his lion which he simply called Danjuma to the garden in 1972 before he convinced his friend to also donate to the garden the triplet brother of his lion called Bala. The two lions were among the first lions in the garden.
The triplets lions, Weekly Trust learnt, originated from Hadejia in Jigawa State and they were at late Audu Bako's house for just a week before he handed them over to the Kano Zoological Garden.
The collection of animals, birds, insects and reptiles at the zoo was further increased through donation from various individuals, exchange with sister zoos and confiscation from unauthorised keepers.
The Kano Zoological Garden was the first accredited zoo in Nigeria by the Pan African Zoo and Aquarium (PAAZAB). It was accredited in 2006 thus making it to be the second accredited zoo in the West African region.
At present the zoo has the following animals, birds, insects and reptiles: rock python, pigmy hippopotamus, lion, hyena, common hippopotamus, nice crocodile, cape eland, pig, red forted gazzelle, giraffe, yellow billed stork, mallard, ostrich, stitafunge, egypt goose and warthog.
Others include emu, giant tortoise, rabbit, ground aurnbill, dorcas gazzelle, crested durcupine, sand fox, ratel/honey badger, side striped jackal, owl, genet, ground squirrel and dog faced baboon.
Also available in the zoo, are patas monkey, snake, chimpanzee, tamtalus monkey, vultures, serval cat, African civet, leopard and various types of fish and insects.
Interestingly, some of the present animals, birds, insects and reptiles were born at the Kano zoo. Weekly Trust also gathered that presently three hippopotamus and pigmy hippopotamus that were recently born in the garden are now being nursed for exchange with other zoological gardens.
Alhaji Ali Lawal Yola, Director of Zoo Services in the Kano Zoological Garden told Weekly Trust that the state government is contacting various nations and international organisations including Botswana, Niger Republic among other countries for restocking of some of the missing species in the garden.
Yola said recently the management of the garden had restocked giraffe and cheetah which were about to be transferred to their permanent site from the nursing section of the garden. He said despite the economic challenges facing the management of the garden, efforts were made by various governments to uplift the status of the garden through implementation of various projects.
He said the immediate past administration of Dr. Rabi'u Kwankwaso had attempted to execute a gigantic project in the garden comprising modern botanical garden, orchard and arboretum, reptile house and fish pond. However, sources at the Kano zoo told Weekly Trust that the project was suspended by the present administration due to over estimation of the money expected to be spent on the project.
The source explained that initially the management of zoo budgeted N15 million for the entire project, but when the proposal was forwarded to the Kwankwaso administration it was raised to over N40 million.
When the present administration came to power, a committee was set up under the chairmanship of Engineer Khaleel Inuwa which investigated the contract leading to the suspension of the project.
Part of the problems the garden faces at present includes collapsing fence, as a result of which hoodlums around the area gain illegal entrance into the garden.
Inadequate sources of animals is also another problem, as according to Yola, it is now difficult for them to restock the missing animals in the garden.
Although government is doing its best, lack of proper funding is also among the problem of the zoo, the director said. But with the little being received, the management had restocked giraffe and cheetah, renovated a number of cages, constructed of number of aquaria and snake houses, constructed of aviary, parking shades, giraffe cage, animal resting shades, fish pond and establishment of museum in the garden.
General Manager of the Zoo, Alhaji Musa Nuhu Kwalli told Weekly Trust that the management intends to put the garden in a good shape before the coming Sallah celebration.
"We want to make sure everything are intact before Sallah celebrations. The main object is to make our visitors happy whenever they visit us. We want keep them alive as far as wildlife is concerned."
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