WELCOME ADDITIONS: Iguana hatchlings inside an enclosure at Nehru Zoological Park. --Photo: Mohd.Yousuf

HYDERABAD: For the first time in the history of Nehru Zoological Park, a common green iguana has bred adding a new attraction to the reptile wing here with 16 hatchlings.

Popularly known as mini-dinosaur and pet-dinosaur for similarity in appearance with the extinct species, the green iguana is found in the wooded country from Mexico to Central Brazil and feeds on plants and insects. An endangered species, a pair of iguana was presented as a `goodwill' gesture to the zoo here by a security agency last year.

The iguana laid eggs some time ago and they had hatched a fortnight ago. The zoo staff say this is the first time that iguana had bred here. "They are exotic species and we had them here after a long gap. But this is the first time that iguana eggs have hatched here," an official says.

The female iguana usually lays about 30 eggs at a time and buries them in soil. The eggs hatch after about two months. The surviving 16 young ones have been separated from the parents and are kept in a couple of enclosures away in a natural setting complete with a green patch and a bit of tree growth to enable them run up and down the trunk.

The young green iguanas, which grow up to 2.2 metres in length, could be seen running around, climbing on the enclosure glass and foliage and in between, resting at their dining table where minced carrots and vegetables await them.

Night house for lions

Meanwhile, work on a night house for lions at the zoo is in progress and officials expect to ready the facility in two months. Being built at an estimated cost of Rs.15 lakhs, it will have individual cells for lions in the safari area to retire during nights.

The zoo safari presently has eight lions, three males and five females. The night house, officials explain, will help them in exercising better control over the felines apart from aiding in regular monitoring of their health and control breeding.

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