Kathmandu, Sept. 13 -- Until the third week of March, it was just another regular day at the Central Zoo in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur. People queued for tickets-on Saturdays and public holidays, the number of visitors would simply double-to visit the country's only formal zoo which hosts over 125 species-around 1,000 individual mammals, birds and reptiles among others.

And then came Covid-19. On March 18, the government barred gatherings of more than 25 at one place. On March 24, the country went into lockdown.

Since then, the zoo, which used to welcome around 3,000 to 4,000 visitors daily, has seen zero visitors.

"The zoo has remained closed for around six months now," said Chiranjibi Prasad Pokharel, chief at the Central Zoo.

With no vis...