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Nandankanan zoo turns more attractive

— Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

A large number of Gharials are resting at Nandankanan Zoological Park.

BHUBANESWAR: It is party time at Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP) on the outskirts of the capital city. The zoo is passing through one of its most pleasant phases this time after arrival of new guests.

As many as 20 babies were born during last one month flashing smiles on faces of managers of the zoo. Of the new guests, two were cute normal coloured tigers while another one was a threatened Indian Pangolin.

“One would feel as if the entire zoo has turned into a maternity ward. The zoo has the rare distinction of successful rearing and captive breeding of highly-threatened species like Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata). During current financial year, there were two births. One of them was born just on Wednesday,” NZP Director Ajit Pattnaik said here on Thursday.

According to zoo sources, there have been 144 births till first week of March this fiscal. Out of which there are 72 mammals, 58 birds and 12 reptiles.

Moreover, the NZP claimed to have brought down the animal deaths to 57 in 2007-08, which was lowest during last four years. Between 2004 and 2006, the zoo witnessed deaths of 90 animals annually while it was put at 70 in 2006-07.

“This year’s animal death is the lowest in the history of the Nandankanan. This constitutes less than 5 per cent of total animals which is one of the lowest mortality rate in any Indian zoo,” Mr. Pattnaik said. Pointing out that birth of such a number of animals in one month was a sign of good health status for species in captivity, NZP director said utmost care was taken on health front and three dedicated veterinary surgeons monitored status of animals on day-to-day basis with a well-equipped zoo hospital.

Similarly, the NZP claimed that it had managed to raise quality of feed. “A captive slaughter house has been made operational in the zoo to provide quality and fresh meat to the carnivores after proper ante and post-mortem scanning of the animals slaughtered daily by the zoo doctors. Nandankanan is the first zoo in the country to have set up the captive slaughter house,” Mr. Pattnaik said.

He said fodder crop was grown seasonally keeping in mind the nutritional requirements of the herbivores to achieve 100 percent self-sufficiency. “All the feed procured are meticulously screened and disinfected before they are supplied to the captive animals and birds.”

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