Pilikula zoo gets new attractions in the form of Asiatic Lion, other animals and birds

The Pilikula Biological Park on Tuesday received three wild animals and four rare species of birds, including an Asiatic lion, a wolf, two gharials, and two silver pheasants and yellow golden pheasants each, from the Nandankanan Zoological Park in Odisha under the animal exchange programme.

Park director H. Jayaprakash Bhandary in a release here said the Nandankanan zoo will get four each dholes (wild dogs) and rare reticulated pythons, two bramhiny kites, three Asian palm civets, and two large egrets from pilikula. These animals and birds were born in pilikula zoo.

The exchanges were done with permission from the Central Zoo Authority.

Dr. Bhandary said the exchanges were done to maintain pure bloodline among animals and to provide a mate for those animals which do not have one. The Asiatic lion, which is very limited in numbers in Indian zoos, was being brought to mate with three lionesses at pilikula.

The director said two veterinarians and eight caretakers have accompanied the animals from Nandankanan zoo. The animal exchange responsibility was equally distributed among the participating zoos. Dr. Bhandary said with over 1,200 animals, birds and reptiles, pilikula zoo has been one of the 18 major zoos in India.

More exchange programmes

Dr. Bhandary further said pilikula zoo was engaged in an exchange agreement process with Chhatbir zoo, Punjab, Byculla zoo, Mumbai, and the Madras Crocodile Park Trust. Special attempts are being made to get anacondas and humboldt penguins. As there is a huge cost in maintaining the penguins, some donors have come forward to help the zoo, he said.

The new animals and birds will be in quarantine wards for a fortnight after which they will be put on display.

Dr. Bhandary said the animal exchange programme with the Nandankanan zoo has created a record as the exchange was done with a faraway zoo (about 2,000 km). The previous record was with the Udaipur zoo in Rajasthan (1,700 km), he added.

Published - November 06, 2024 07:00 am IST