In an effort to conserve carnivores and study their behaviour, century-old Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens also known as zoo garden in southern city of Mysore has successfully implanted grain like transponders on carnivores rescued from the wild.
According to zoo executive director BP Ravi, the device or transponder contains unique programmed code and help in recognise animals once they have been let off in the wild. He said, “Installing transponders on captured animals before letting them off to forest has proved successful.”
“If an animal is rescued again, a transponder will help us to identify it. The zoo will then decide whether to keep the animal in captivity,” he added. The Central Zoo Authority has given 15 unique numbers to Mysore Zoo for transponders to be implanted into leopards and tigers.
The transponder implanting method is in use for quiet some years and very useful for correct identification of animals in captivity. Mysore zoo has adopted this method in the rescued carnivores before its release to the natural habitat.
Transponders are issued by the Central Zoo Authority with unique numbers and each zoo has its own specific series. The implanting of transponder with a distinguishing physical mark like ear notch has its own distinct advantages. Once tiger is radio collared, the animal has to be monitored and tracked continuously.
Apart from the increased human imprints, whether animal is comfortable with its feeding habit or how it affects its mating behaviour is yet to be fully understood.
Once the animal is released with transponder and visible physical marking like ear notch, the animal could be monitored and the local people must be made aware of its release with its distinct marking. At the very first instance of attack on human being by such released animal, it could be captured and kept in captivity.
In another development, Mysore zoo has become member of World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), an association of world zoos and aquariums. Being a member of WAZA would strengthen the Mysore zoo’s chances of engaging in more animal exchanges with foreign zoos, including major zoos.
NandankananZoological Park, Bhubaneswar, Darjeeling Zoo, Darjeeling, and National Zoological Park, Delhi, were the other members of the WAZA in India.