A boy walks past a Siberian tiger at Nay Pyi Taw Zoological Gardens on opening day last week. Pic: AFP

THE Nay Pyi Taw Zoological Gardens opened last week featuring about 420 animals – including rare wallabies, white tigers and penguins – that were moved from Yangon in February.

“We are very proud as we have constructed this international-standard zoological garden within seven months,”

Lieutenant General Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo, Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council, said in his opening speech.

“Not only local visitors, but also foreign tourists can study here,” he told gathered ministers, diplomats and government officials.

About half of the animalS in the 102-year-old Yangon Zoological Gardens – including elephants, crocodiles, tigers, deer, leopards and monkeys – were loaded into trucks and driven to the 247-hectare (612-acre) zoo in Nay Pyi Taw last month.

“No animal was killed when transferring them from Yangon to Nay Pyi Taw. All are in good health now. They are enjoying it here,” a senior official at the new zoo said.

Tens of thousands of people flocked from nearby villages to visit the zoo, which was free to the public on its opening day.

“We are very happy. We have never been to a zoo before,” said a 50-year-old woman from a nearby village.

“This is a good chance for us to see animals. Now I’m waiting to see the white tigers.” – AFP