The Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad, has been adjudged the best Zoo in the country next only to Mysore Zoo, by the Central Zoo Authority of India (CZAI). The title comes because of the sincere efforts of Zoo officials to conserve endangered species through reproduction (captive breeding), and providing a better home for the animals and birds.
The Hyderbad zoo has been vigorously taking part in the endangered animals exchange program under the guidelines of CZAI which planned the exchanging and loaning of animals across 106 zoos in the country so as to increase their numbers through captive breeding methods. Some of the endangered animals benefitted by the scheme are tigers, lions, emus, leopards and pheasants.
M Abdul Waheed, curator of Nehru zoological park said that it was the median temperature at the zoo that made the conditions ideal for breeding.
The Hyderabad Zoo received from Sepahijala Zoo (Tripura), a pair of Pig Tail Macaque, two Himalayan Black Bear and a pair of Leopards. Since the Zoo already had three female lions, it also received a male Lion from Rajkot Zoo (Gujarat) to encourage breeding. In addition, the Zoo also received rare north and north-eastern species such as a couple of Marmosets, a pair of Bhutan Lorry Pheasants and five pairs of spoon Bills from Alipore Zoo (Kolkata).
The receiving of animals has resulted in the birth of two emus, twenty Pheasants, three tiger cubs and three lion cubs in the past five months, as stated by assistant director (veterinary) of the Zoo, Dr. MA Hakeem. He said there are going to be more cubs in the next five months as two Lions, two Tigers and three emus are pregnant.
Dr.Hakeem explained how the new animals received by the zoo are acclimatised to the conditions of the new place.
“When the new species are brought to the zoo, they are provided artificial atmosphere for at least a month so as to get accustomed to the new area. If the animals do not get accustomed, they are sent back to where they came from.”
In an era where wild animals live in a constant threat of getting totally swiped out by poachers, habitat destruction, fragmentation or problems like climate change, the captive breeding programs run by zoo are like creating a gene pool and a population of the animal that at least represent the species in times to come. Unquestionably the protection of wild territories is much more important and elementary but zoos can provide a safety mesh for at least some of the species in times like these when thousands of species have an alarmingly low population in the wild.
The Hyderbad zoo authorities believe the breeding helps conserve, reproduce, exhibit and research, endangered and threatened species.
Mr. Waheed says “The goal of most captive breeding programmes for endangered species is to establish captive populations that are large enough to be demographically stable and genetically healthy.”
The CZAI maintains a database providing details on animals like their birth date, death date, parentage, gender, location with local identification numbers. This helps keep a tag on reproduction and survival rates of animals, age structure, the degree of inbreeding, loss of genetic diversity and also evaluate temporal changes occurring in captive animal populations.
As the threat for wild species grows zoos can no longer be mere exhibition grounds for animals but have to look at methods that help keep the species safe for the coming generations. Like Hyderabad zoo, the country definitely needs other zoos to re-evaluate and expand their roles as safe keepers of the natural world.
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Article source: ibnlive
Image courtesy babyraven via Hyderabad Zoo
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