Kumasi, Nov. 26 GNA - The Kumasi Zoological Gardens was last year adjudged the best domestic tourist attraction site in the country, registering more than 130,000 visitors.

This helped the facility to rake in GH¢40,400. Mr Samuel Darkwa Nimoh, the Manager, told newsmen in Kumasi on Thursday that as of August 2009, revenue had surpassed the last year's total. "Contrary to public perception, the Kumasi Zoo is very much alive and kicking", he said.

He was receiving four camels donated by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tut= u II. The animals were a gift to the Asantehene from Libyan Leader, Colonel=

Muamar Gadhafi. Mr Nimoh said visitors to the Zoo are mostly school children and local tourists.

He identified aged facilities, old and single stocks, poor drainage syst= em and inadequate funding as major challenges they are faced with. Mr Nimoh, however, said the Zoo's Advisory Board, has taken bold initiatives to address some of these challenges. The facility has now been re-designed and there are also plans t= o organize fund raising activities and donor support as well as the introduction of well-packaged and carefully-targeted campaign to attract more tourists.

He said they were grateful to the Asantehene and appealed to individuals=

and organizations for both professional and financial support. Oheneba Asampong Boakye, Chairman of Board, handed over the camels to th= e Zoo on behalf of the Asantehene and said the donation was born out of the=

wish of the Asantehene to see the facility become more vibrant.