Hop aboard the train of nostalgia with these fun facts about the century-old Lucknow Zoo

With major developments and recent advancements, it wouldn't be wrong to say that our beloved Lucknow Zoo keeps outdoing itself and perfectly evolves to every generation's needs. From AR and VR revolutionary innovations to new animals being added to the zoo family, the changes keep coming, and for the better.

Traditionally known as Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden, the zoo was set up in 1921 and completed 100 years last year! It currently houses some 463 mammals, 72 reptiles and 298 birds. Impressive, innit?

Our earliest memories of the zoo would probably be on the cute and little but highly efficient train that would take us on a ride throughout the zoo. If you think about it today, what an 'ahead of its times' innovation! And it's not as little as one would think, considering that it can contain about 84 people.

Meandering through the pathways of the zoo, you can visit the major attractions through this joy ride which was paused for some time but is back in action once again!

Yet again a recent addition, the Butterfly Park was inaugurated inside the zoo in 2018. It exhibits more than 80 plant species in a two-acre park, with as many as 28 kinds of beautiful butterflies hovering blissfully.

The centre, much like the others inside the premises, aims at spreading awareness about the species. At the same time, their preservation is a key goal.

You'd be stupefied to that Lucknow, and particularly the city zoo, is one of the very few places in the country to host an actual Egyptian mummy!

This 3000-year-old preserved mummy, of a 13 years old girl, was once (about 70 years back) purchased by a British national JJE Potter.

Housing a separate section reserved for various snake species, the Lucknow Zoo was recently in news for sheltering two of world's most venomous snakes. The two included the infamous Russell's Viper, from the family of of Viperidae, known for its extreme poisonous capacity. It is also a rare species since, owing to its fatal nature, it is killed in many countries on spot.

The zoo currently has, in its chambers, about 40 snakes of seven different species.

In a first under high tech achievements for a zoo, Lucknow Zoo also offers a mixed reality experience with its smart audio-guided tour. You can use the app, connect through Bluetooth and the guide (which uses your location) will dispense useful information about all the animals you'd visit!

In a VR (virtual reality) tour, you can literally experience ferocious animals stroll by you, safe and sound!

Introduced in 2018, the Nature Interpretation Centre in the Lucknow Zoo was introduced by an NGO to support the visually impaired children. Braille information boards have been established to help the blind get acquainted about the animals!

The Lucknow zoo also flaunts the architecturally rich white heritage building called Nagardi Baradari. Made of marvel stone, Baradari was built by Nawab Nasiruddin Hyder in 1828.

A cultural attraction, the historical Baradari is also a common spot for family picnics, people gathering here as a rest stop to eat and bask from the scorching heat.

If we start to list all the attractions in the Lucknow Zoo, the list will never really end. From housing the mighty Parijaat Tree to rare Blackbuck, the zoo is no less than a wonderland!

Further, with its plan to shift to Kukrail and introduce the Night Safari, we're sure Lucknow 'chidiya ghar' is on the road to creating history, and in the most advanced manner you can imagine. Gear up, for the zoo has fun surprises on your way!