Allahabad University Museum In Neglect

ALLAHABAD, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- The zoological museum of Allahabad University which used to be the pride of the institution has become a victim of official apathy and slackness. The museum belongs to the university’s zoology department but the authorities are less bothered about preserving its rare and treasured collections. The history of the museum dates back to a century. It is one of the most rich and valuable museums in Asia. There are several rare animal and plant specimens stored in this museum which make the visitors astonished even today. The visitors especially like the huge skeleton of an Asian elephant.

The zoological museum of Allahabad University was set up in the early part of the 20th century. The skeletons of a camel and an African elephant also make heads turn. The snake lovers are delighted when they come across the skeletons of several types of non venomous snakes and king Cobra. The skeletal remains of marine animals like dolphin and sea lions also enthrall the viewers. The stuffed bodies of some wild animals are also major crowd pullers. The remains of a rare mammal named Achidna and a poisonous lizard named Heloderma are also assets of this museum.

Allahabad University’s zoological museum is a biologist’s dream but the assets are not kept in care. A child that was born decades back with two heads has also been preserved. Unless care is taken some of these rare animal and plant fossils may not last long. The curator does not want to speak about the yearly grant the museum gets and how it is spent.