The New Indian Express ·
Environment
Odisha's Nandankanan Zoo gets 14 rare species from Vantara’s Trust
BHUBANESWAR: In news for taking care of five orangutan infants rescued from a forest in Balasore recently, the Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP) in the capital city has received 58 animals belonging to 14 exotic species, including two pairs of lemurs, kangaroos and zebras, from the Radha Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust (RKTEWT), Jamnagar in Gujarat, a part of Anant Ambani-led Vantara.
The animals were received from the RKTEWT as a special donation and brought to the zoo on Saturday. Sources in state wildlife wing said the Trust will donate a dozen more rare species to Nandankanan soon, helping it become one of the biggest zoos in terms of total number of species, in India.
Nandankanan received four zebras (two male and two female), four kangaroos (two male and two female), six Bennett’s wallabies (three male and three female), four ring-tailed lemurs (two male and two female), four tufted capuchins (two male and two female), four scarlet macaws (two male and two female), four blue-and-gold macaws (two male and two female), four green-winged macaws (two male and two female), four sulphur-crested cockatoos (two male and two female), four crowned cranes (two male and two female), four scarlet ibises (two male and two female), six meerkats (three male and three female), two cassowaries (one male and one female) and four blue wildebeests (two male and two female) from RKTEWT.
PCCF wildlife Prem Kumar Jha said the new arrivals will strengthen Nandankanan’s species-diversity profile and enhance its conservation-education activities.
“The animals will also provide visitors an opportunity to learn about wildlife from different geographical regions, their ecological adaptations and the importance of biodiversity conservation,” he said.
Nandankanan deputy director Pradeep Mirase said the additions will introduce 10 new species to the zoological park and facilitate the pairing of one species, while bringing in new bloodlines for three species. With the latest additions, the zoo now houses 188 different species, he said.
Officials said animals are currently under quarantine. They will be maintained under the zoo’s established animal-care, veterinary and husbandry systems, with emphasis on their welfare and scientific management.
The zoo is also taking care of the five orangutan infants rescued from Bichitrapur forest in Balasore on Tuesday. Apart from ensuring round-the-clock health monitoring, the zoo has made provisions for special feeding chart, play activities and music therapy among others to help the young primates acclimatise to their new surrounding.
