The recently concluded Annual Conference of Indian Zoos opened up new opportunities for many zoos to explore the possibility of animal exchange with Mysuru zoo, which has emerged as a key player with one of the biggest animal and bird collections.
The directors of 25 zoos, who visited the Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, were awestruck by the animal collection, and all of them proposed exchange of animals with the zoo for enriching their own collection. “We have many animal exchange proposals on hand. The zoo directors got exposure to our zoo and were impressed by the way it was developed. They were keen to share animals under exchange programme. I can say it is a good opportunity for all of us to enrich our collections,” said Mysuru zoo’s executive director C. Ravishankar.
He told The Hindu that some zoos have proposed to give mouse deer, Indian gaurs, black panthers, marmosets and Asiatic lions. Likewise, Mysuru zoo has sought a male giraffe and a male mouse deer. “What helped us is all directors got in touch with each other and discussed in detail the animals each of them wanted. The proposals will be studied and consultations will be held,” he said.
Mysuru zoo is also a conservation breeding centre for Indian guars and mouse deer. “Our search for a male mouse deer will be ending soon with a couple of zoos, including the Nandankanan zoo in Odisha, coming forward to give a male mouse deer,” he said.
Zoo directors from north-eastern States such as Nagaland were also eager to initiate animal exchange with Mysuru zoo. “I have started to work on these proposals. Correspondence has begun and we will try to complete the formalities at the earliest, with the consent of the Central Zoo Authority,” Mr. Ravishankar said.
Mysuru zoo model
The directors of over two dozen Indian zoos who were in the city recently for the annual conference hosted by the Central Zoo Authority and the Mysuru zoo have returned to their zoos hoping to replicate the ‘Mysuru zoo model’, applauded for its standards even by some foreign zoos.
Zoo Authority of Karnataka member-secretary B.P. Ravi said the incorporation of green concepts in animal display, rainwater harvesting, turning waste into vermicompo- st, creating a plastic-free zone, e-ticketing, and the rescue and rehabilitation centre were among the initiatives that made an impression on the visiting zoo directors.
