It’s not just the onset of monsoon that is being celebrated at the National Zoological Park, or Delhi zoo as it is popularly called, which is busy gearing up to welcome several new animals and birds from zoos across the country.
Visitors will soon get to see jaguar, rhino, Himalayan black bear, wolf, deer and if all goes well even zebra, elephant and giraffe brought in from zoos abroad. And that is not all. The Delhi zoo is also awaiting its first set of ostrich chicks, while a white antelope has given birth to two fawns and the mountain goat has delivered three healthy offsprings.
“This is good season for us and we are excited about the additions that are to come our way,’’ said Delhi zoo veterinary doctor Paneer Selvam. He explained that the additions are coming in exchange of the animals sent from the Delhi zoo. “The Delhi zoo will be getting a male jaguar from Thiruvananthapuram zoo while a white female tigeress is being sent to them; Kanpur zoo is giving Delhi zoo a male rhino, Himachal Pradesh zoo will be sending us a Himalayan black bear and deer (two species) are to come in from Chandigrah zoo and other zoos from South India,’’ said the doctor. Several varieties of pheasants that have already arrived at the Delhi zoo this summer have been housed at its hospital.
“They are getting used to the high heat that the city has been experiencing of late. Now with the weather improving we are sure that the birds can go on display soon,’’ added Dr. Selvam.
The birds (10-12 in number) are a gift from the Darjeeling zoo and are all young (under two years old). “The birds are currently been given a mixture of small grains and green leaves. We hope to put these birds out on display by the month end,” said Dr. Selvam.
Besides, the addition the zoo is also gearing up to host the World Zoo and Aquarium Conference at the end of the year.
“We are conducting a plantation drive, building better cages and platforms and repairing our slip roads in preparation for the conference,’’ added the veterinarian.
