Peshawar - Following improvement in weather conditions in Peshawar, a large number of tourists on Sunday visited Peshawar Zoo by taking keen interest in eagles, cobra snakes, tigers, zarafa and lions. People of the allage groups accompanied by children visited Peshawar Zoo in droves during weekend and spent some time there after reduction in coldness that gripped Peshawar valley during last couple of weeks. Wild and other types of animals and birds like eagles, tigers, lions, pheasants, dears, cranes, snakes, camels, reptiles, birds and parrots remained centre of attraction of the visitors. The students of different government and private schools also visited the zoo and asked different questions from wildlife experts and zoo’s management about habitats, habits and foods of the animals. This first-ever zoo was established at over 29 acres of land in Rahatabad near Pakistan Forests Institute (PFI) and University of Peshawar at a cost of Rs270 million by the PTI government aimed at to provide better recreational services to Peshawarites. The Peshawar Zoo is unique and bigger than all other zoos of Pakistan as it spreads over an area of over 29 acres of land wherein almost all species of wild animals and birds existing in the country have been caged in natural habitats. Ehtisham Khan who came to Peshawar Zoo told APP that it is a great gift of Prime Minister Imran Khan for people of KP, which has not only enhanced the beauty of Peshawar but also become a symbol of entertainment. He said the past governments had made tall promises and raised slogans for construction of a zoo in Peshawar but were completely failed to do, adding the credit goes to the previous PTI government in the province that constructed state-of-the art zoo in the heart of Peshawar. “Falcons has always attracted me and that is why I came from Nowshera district to see them closely in the Zoo” said Malaika Khan who came with her father at the Zoo. “It is not only a place of entertainment but a great source of education and research for students of wildlife and zoology who otherwise travelled to Islamabad and Lahore for this purpose in the past,” she said. Khayam Khan, another tourist of Nowshera district said the Zoo was a good addition in the healthy entertainment and recreational facilities for the residents of Peshawar. Terming Peshawar Zoo is big gift of PTI government for the people of KP, he said, “I am very impressed with facilities provided to tourists at the Zoo in a short time.” “I think it was the great development work of the previous PTI government that helped it in achievement of landslide victory in 2018 general election in KP. The completion of Peshawar Zoo with provision of maximum facilities to animals and tourists in short possible time is highly commendable,” he told APP. He said the major problems of the Zoo could not be addressed overnight and time would be required for their resolution.