Tree Walk, a Thiruvananthapuram-based collective of nature lovers, has petitioned Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan to hold a public hearing on the proposed relocation of the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo and disclose the reasons behind the plan.
The collective has also urged the government to abandon the relocation proposal, arguing that it could affect the city’s social fabric, tourism value and ecological balance. The petition follows a recent statement about shifting the zoo that, according to Tree Walk, has unsettled residents over the past month.
“Your recent statement about shifting the zoo, a defining landmark of Thiruvananthapuram, has deeply unsettled the public over the past month. So far, no satisfactory explanation has been provided,” the petition said.
Tree Walk has asked the chief minister to ensure that any decision on the zoo is taken through public consultation. It requested that the reasons for the proposed relocation be presented clearly and that the government initiate a public hearing or open dialogue with citizens before proceeding.
The collective attached two studies to its petition: “Trees of Thiruvananthapuram Museum and Zoo” by Namitha L H and Gangaprasad A, and “The Emerald Island” by Balachandran V and Suresh Elamon. According to Tree Walk, the studies document the distinctive microclimate created by the zoo landscape and the ecological relationship between its green spaces and living organisms.
The petition said the zoo grounds support rare and endangered trees, native species and exotic fauna. It also identified migratory birds, butterflies, dragonflies, frogs and other forms of wildlife as part of the habitat beyond the animals housed within the zoo.
“We are fully convinced that the development you propose cannot be carried out without endangering this rich biological world. Therefore, Tree Walk firmly declares that this project must not proceed under any circumstances,” the collective said.
Tree Walk also asked the government to protect the zoo landscape as a natural heritage site. Its petition argued that implementing the proposal without considering the views and concerns of residents would be contrary to democratic principles.
The issue places the proposed relocation within a wider question of how cities manage institutions that combine public recreation, tourism, heritage and urban ecology. The zoo is not only an animal-housing facility but also a substantial green space within the city, according to the studies cited by the collective.
Tree Walk has worked for the past 14 years to document and share knowledge about Thiruvananthapuram’s green wealth. The group includes environmental scientists, teachers, students, artists, writers and architects. “Naturally, the proposed change concerning the zoo has caused us serious concern,” said the petition.
The collective’s immediate demand is for a public hearing and an open explanation of the relocation proposal before any further decision is taken.
