The department of Zoology was started in the year 1928.  In the beginning Zoology was offered as a subject for the two-year intermediate course and later Zoology as a major subject was introduced for the B.Sc degree course in the year 1959.  The department developed in leaps and bounds both in terms of faculty and infrastructure.  The first year post-graduate course i.e., M.Sc in Zoology was started in the year 1960-61 under the direction and guidance of Prof. M.R.Rajashekara Shetty, who in turn was helped and supported by Prof. B.N.Bolegowda and Prof. M.Appaswamy Rao.  Later, in the year 1962, the Post-graduate course was shifted to the Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion located at Manasagangothri, Mysore. For sometime the teaching faculty and Laboratory facilities were extended to the students of the Government Medical College, the B.Sc students of Maharani’s College and the students of the Government Ayurvedic college.
In addition to the above mentioned teachers, the department has had eminent teachers like Prof. L.S.Ramaswamy, Prof. A. Narayana Rao, Prof. M.S. Ramachandra Rao, Prof. S. Dhanraj, Prof. C.B.Venkatanarasimhaiah, Prof. H.B.Devaraja Sarkjar, Prof. L.Siddavere Gowda (present member of UPSC), Prof. G.Sri Rama Reddy, Prof. K.M.Veerappa, Prof. K.Pandu Ranga and Prof. A.V.Champakamalini, Dr. N. Muniyappa , Prof. B.K.Jagadeesh and Prof.B.S.Vijayalaxmi. All these teachers were  instrumental in the development of the department. At present there are seven staff members working in the department of zoology.
The teachers who are appointed recently to the department have specialization in specific area of research, through which they can cater to the needs of other students studying courses like Biotechnology and five years integrated Molecular biology.
The members of the faculty have also contributed many articles in Kannada which have been published in ‘Vijnana Karnataka’ and ‘Vishwakosha’. Some teachers have also given talks on All India Radio, thus contributing immensely to popularize and enrich the knowledge of Zoology among the public.  The faculty regularly participates in seminars, lectures and workshops and in many such educative and socially productive exchanges.
The year 1988 saw the department open its doors to a wider section of the young inquiring minds, with the inclusion of Sericulture to the already existing Zoology.  The Sericulture department has a separate well-equipped laboratory, a mulberry garden and rearing house.
In the department of zoology students of various combinations like CBZ, BBZ, BZF, CZS, CZM, have been taught. Foreign students also take zoology as a subject and for the past few years they have been regularly admitted. In the recent updated syllabus more emphasis is given on field oriented studies and other applied modern areas of zoology. The teachers engage them selves in taking special classes/sessions in order to encourage the students to participate in academic activities, as well as other co curricular activities. The teachers in turn under go refresher courses / orientation courses as well as other workshops and conferences. The research activities carried out by some of the faculty members are listed in the fag end of the report. The performance of the teachers are also assessed by proper assessment methods by the administrators. Majority of the students after passing out opt for post graduate courses. In addition some of the students are well placed in various sectors.    
The department of Zoology through the years has acquired a good number of equipment such as: Binocular Microscopes (over 50 in number) Steriosomes Dissection Microscope (.26 numbers),  Camera (Exact and Lucida), Microtomes (three), Incubators(two), Thermostat, Water bath Centrifuge, Slide Cabinet, Binoculars, Refrigerators, Physical balances (4), Monopan balance, over-head projector (with film strips), Slide projectors, Permanent slides (over 5 hundreds), VDRL slides, Approvites, Colorimeters, advanced model OHP, LCD projector, laptop and a modern digital balance etc.,  
The department of Zoology has a library consisting of over 1000 books for the immediate reference of the teachers.  The students are allowed to make use of the books in the Zoology of the under-graduate library where the latest books are available. Every year recent books on zoology worth several thousands have been added periodically
Dr.N.Muniyappa, and Dr. Chandavar Vidya R. have instituted cash prizes to be given out every year to meritorious students of Zoology.