Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Tel Aviv to gift four more zebras to Mysuru zoo

Special Correspondent MYSURU, May 18, 2018 22:12 IST

Visitors can see the animals in June as they are expected to be here by May-end

The century-old Mysuru zoo is getting another ‘gift’ from Tel Aviv in Israel. This time too, four zebras are being given. Visitors can see the animals in June as they are expected to reach here by May-end.
Responding favourably to the request from Mysuru zoo to spare three female and one male zebras, Ramat Gan Safari Park at Tel Aviv agreed to gift them for the second time (first gift was in 2014).
“The zebras should have been here by May 16 but owing to some technical reasons, their transportation has been put off to last week of May. The animals are likely to be shipped to Mumbai on May 28 from Tel Aviv and thereafter they will be brought to Mysuru by road,” said zoo Executive Director C. Ravishankar.
In 2014, the Israeli zoo gifted four zebras (two male and two female) to Mysuru zoo. The gift helped the zoo introduce a new bloodline. At present, the zoo has two zebras.
Two other succumbed to colic or abdominal pain, though it is a common ailment among equine species. Another reason cited for their death was nephritis. Equine specialists and biologists were consulted for keeping the remaining zebras in good health.
Mr. Ravishankar told The Hindu that the Central Zoo Authority of India (CZA), New Delhi, okayed the proposal for procuring the zebras. The Mysuru zoo had also sought the approval from the Ministry of Environment and Forests for getting the zebras, which are one of the popular attractions for the visitors. Also, it is mandatory to get clearances from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade and the Deputy Director of Wildlife Preservation (Southern region), Chennai, under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora for bringing animals from foreign zoos.
The zoo here recently received green anacondas from a Sri Lankan zoo.
Two white tigers from Chennai
Soon, a white tiger and tigress will be the biggest attraction in Mysuru zoo.
The two big cats from Chennai will be making the zoo their new home as they are part of an animal exchange programme this month. The exchange of animals between the Vandalur Zoo in Chennai and the Mysuru zoo has been approved by the Central Zoo Authority of India. Besides tigers, the zoo here is also getting a male lion tailed macaque (LTM) and a pair of Nilgiri langurs.
In return, the Mysuru zoo is giving two pairs of stripped hyenas, a pair of scarlet ibis and a pair of capuchin monkeys to the Chennai zoo. To improve the bloodline of Indian gaurs, both the zoos are exchanging male gaurs.
Lioness from Rajkot
After failed attempts to captive breed Asiatic lions, the Mysuru zoo is making a fresh attempt to renew breeding of the endangered species by bringing a young Asiatic lioness from Gujarat.
“We are getting a lioness from Rajkot zoo as a mate for Shaurya, the male lion. We hope to accentuate captive breeding upon its arrival,” said C. Ravishankar, Executive Director, Mysuru zoo. The zoo received a pair of lions from Sakkarbaug zoo under the exchange programme seven years ago. But Gowri, the lioness, suffered from health problems and did not recover despite continuous treatment. Though Gowri delivered a cub, it did not survive. Gowri is now housed in the zoo hospital.
Two years ago, the Mysuru zoo somehow managed to get Ronita, another Asiatic lioness from Sakkarbaug zoo in Gujarat, but the animal did not survive. The authorities are hoping for a successful breeding plan upon the arrival of Rajkot lioness. Only a few zoos in the country house the Asiatic lions, which are found only in Gir forests.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/tel-aviv-to-gift-four-more-zebras-to-mysuru-zoo/article23930426.ece


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