Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park: Asiatic lion, giraffe, rhinoceros, chimpanzee likely to arrive this year

The zoo authorities are in talks with seven zoos — Jaipur Zoo, National Zoological Park Delhi, Nehru Zoological Park Hyderabad, Bannerghatta National Park Bangalore, Mysore Zoo, Pardyuman Park in Rajkot and Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan Zoological Park
Written by Shub Karman Dhaliwal | Chandigarh | Published:May 22, 2017 10:41 am

 THE AUTHORITIES of The Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park, also known as Chhatbir Zoo, are making attempts to get new attractions including giraffe, rhinoceros, chimpanzee, Asiatic lion and a Royal Bengal Tiger through animal exchange programmes this year. The zoo authorities are in talks with seven zoos — Jaipur Zoo, National Zoological Park Delhi, Nehru Zoological Park Hyderabad, Bannerghatta National Park Bangalore, Mysore Zoo, Pardyuman Park in Rajkot and Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan Zoological Park.

More than a decade ago, Chhatbir zoo was home to a rhinoceros and is now again pushing to get the animal from the Patna zoo. “It was in 2003 when we last had a rhino and it died a natural death. Since then the zoo hasn’t had any rhino and this time around we are pushing for it. Hopefully we will get it by October,” said a zoo official, requesting anonymity. The zoo is also reattempting to bring in a giraffe after two failed attempts in the past.
“The problem we face with an adult giraffe is its transportation from one place to another as it is risky given its height. There have been two incidents in India when giraffes died during transportation. This was the reason we cancelled the deal seven to eight years ago. But now instead of an adult, we are looking to bring in a calf from the Mysore zoo,” added the official.
The exchange between zoological parks across India is based on the availability of the surplus species. At present the Chhatbir Zoo has sambar, spotted deer, black bug, goral, hog deer, painted stork bird, spot billed duck, budgerigar parrots and a few other exotic birds in surplus.
The zoo is home to 1,270 animals from 102 species. Among other animals that the zoo authorities are trying to bring are Indian wolf which is a sub-species of grey wolf, Asiatic Lion, Royal Bengal Tiger and chimpanzee. The zoo last had a chimpanzee in 2009. The zoo official said, “The lion and tiger are being brought to bring in a change in the blood line of the these very species present in the zoo.”
If all goes well then the zoo will be home to these new animals in the month of October since during extreme summers animals are not shifted to new places as it involves risk to their health.
Chhatbir Zoo is among the most visited zoos in the region. In the beginning of the year, it broke its own record of highest number of visitors when over 14,000 people thronged the place on January 1.
http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/mahendra-chaudhary-zoological-park-asiatic-lion-giraffe-rhinoceros-chimpanzee-likely-to-arrive-this-year-4667625/