Thrissur: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday inaugurated the long-awaited Thrissur Zoological Park at Puthur, formally marking the transformation of the hilly village into a global tourism destination.

Spread across 338 acres of pristine forest terrain, the park is Kerala’s first international-standard zoological facility — and India’s first fully design-led zoo, conceptualised by renowned Australian zoo designer John Coe. Planned in three phases, it features 23 naturalistic habitats and dedicated visitor trails developed without disturbing the native ecology. Continuous upgrades are planned in line with global conservation and tourism standards.

Animals from the 1885-established Thrissur city zoo have already been relocated to Puthur, where they now roam in expansive, species-specific enclosures. Visitors can view animals moving freely across grasslands and canopies — without traditional cages obstructing the experience.

The idea of shifting the old city zoo was first proposed in 2003, and after years of debate over the location, the Puthur forest site was approved in 2009. Construction gained momentum only after the first LDF government came to power in 2016, when the project was brought under the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). The vision subsequently evolved from a mere relocation plan into a full-fledged world-class zoological park.

The project received strong financial support — with an initial ₹150 crore sanctioned through KIIFB in 2016, followed by multiple phases totalling over ₹330 crore, along with an additional ₹40 crore in plan funds.

Despite a temporary halt imposed by the Centre in 2018, the state secured necessary clearances, and the park received full operational approval in May 2022. Animal transfers began in phases from September 2023, and the park hosted the state’s Wildlife Week inauguration on Gandhi Jayanti that year.

With the CM’s inauguration today, the facility enters a two-month controlled trial phase before opening to the public in January. The park expects to attract over five million visitors annually, potentially driving a major tourism and economic surge across the Thrissur region.

The Puthur park — along with Peechi, Marottichal waterfalls, Kachikode dam and the upcoming adventure tourism network — forms the core of the emerging Ollur Tourism Corridor, envisioned as one of Kerala’s flagship international eco-tourism models.