With the addition of four new inmates in the Delhi Zoo, the total numbers of animals and birds — both exotic and Indian origin — have increased to 1,355 of 31 exotic species and 40 Indian species. Recently, the Zoo added lion’s cubs, four-horned antelopes, water monitor lizards and a King Cobra under its wing.
According to the annual inventory report of the National Zoological Park, Delhi, there are 1,355 animals and birds as on April 1, 2015 as against 1,351 last year, said Delhi Zoo curator Riyaz Khan. He added that the number stood at 1,256 in 2013.
Pointing that old age, fighting among animals and fatal diseases as some of the reasons behind deaths of animals, he said that while there were 210 exotic animals in 2014, the zoo at present has 213 such animals. There were 760 Indian origin animals last year, and the number has come down to 753 this time. Munia, the resident breeding birds found in Africa and South Asia, as well as endangered species like black buck registered the highest mortality last year.
“We lost 10 black bucks and nine Munia birds last year,” Khan said. The zoo official, however, said that efforts are being made to post better figure next year through boosting zoo-exchange initiatives and breeding programmes.
Many animals like hippopotamus, white tiger, golden pheasants, lion-tailed macaque, jackal and common fox have recently given birth to healthy offsprings, he said. “We recently received three male hippopotamuses and four female ones from breeding. Others species are also responding well to the breeding programmes. We hope that we work on our habitants’ numbers and post an impressive figure next year. The efforts are on,” Khan added.
