Kraken Habitat

In the residential neighbourhood of Pimple Nilakh in the northern area of Pune, within a quiet lane, there is an interesting place which is home to a number of exotic biological species. Kraken Habitat has a collection of hundreds of rare mammals, birds, reptiles and fish and is a zoo, a café and a co-working space all rolled into one.

Their motto is to provide a safe habitat for exotic animals and birds from around the world so that researchers can study them. The species have kept in carefully designed glass tanks, with their very own customized and curated ecosystems, which are beneficial for the species. In every tank, along with the reptile or fish in question, there are plants, rocks, pebbles, and other macrofauna present, which elevate the effect.

Among their multiple activities, they have focused on habitat recreation. To ensure that the species get to live in conditions that match with their native habitats from across the world, the tanks have been fitted with their own independent sets of accessories such as temperature controllers, humidity controllers, UV lights, etc.

Through this entire initiative, they aim to raise awareness about these rare biological species and how to protect the environment and the global ecosystem in the long run, for the betterment of the planet.

The species are most interesting to observe. In the exotic animals section, there are some snakes, which are mostly happy curling up in a corner and dozing off. A bearded dragon paces around in its cage, enthusiastically posing for pictures, while munching on twigs. A shy mangrove tree crab dives into the water and hides in the recesses of a gnarled underwater log when someone approaches its tank. A couple of snapping turtles calmly float around in their tanks, flashing their immensely powerful jaws. A relaxed Madagascar day gecko crawls around the leaves and branches in its tank, often coming to a halt for a short span of time before resuming its walk. A South American horned frog lurks in a corner and enjoys its solitude.

In the fish rooms, fish species of every colour swim around frantically as you step in front of their tanks. Jaguar cichlid, green senegal, cardinal tetra, and archer fish are some species that have been kept here. Along with the fish, it is a delight to observe their environments as well. All the tanks have really interesting rocks, plants, wooden pieces, stones, and substrates that add a sense of unique charm.