THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A flightless bird common to South America adapting itself to the climatic conditions of Keralam, being bred successfully and featured in zoo-exchange programmes in India! Hyenas switched for lions and monkeys. Animal swapping has helped Thiruvananthapuram zoo script some interesting success stories.
According to data with the curator’s office, in the last eight years as many as 64 animals have made their way from the city zoo to other zoological parks across the country, while it added 56 acquisitions. Two animals — a lion-tailed macaque and a king cobra — will soon be shifted to the Vantara facility in Gujarat.
With the figures emerging amid discussions over shifting the zoo, officials point to the success of breeding several species as evidence of the park’s ability to provide animals with conditions conducive to reproduction.
The greater rhea, the largest bird in South America, has been among the zoo’s biggest achievements. With its fluffy plumage, long neck and powerful legs, the bird, which can grow up to 5 ft tall and weigh 40 kg, tops the list of the zoo’s offerings, with 14 brown and six white varieties moved to parks in Wandalur, Hyderabad and Shivamogga.
“From one brown rhea in the early days to a peak number of 60, the climate in our state is very ideal for the bird,” said Dr Jacob Alexander, the zoo’s former resident veterinarian. “They prosper in the absence of harsh climatic conditions,” he said.
Their breeding, however, was not always easy. Eggs had to incubated on several occasions. In one instance, a cracked egg was sealed with wax before being placed in an incubator. It eventually hatched into a healthy chick, Dr Jacob said.
Hyenas, he added, are extremely difficult to breed in captivity. However, Thiruvananthapuram zoo has gifted hyenas to zoological parks in Pune, Tirupati, Rohtak and Shivamogga.
Ambient climate, regular monitoring and measures to ensure variety among breeding individuals have contributed to the success, officials said. All nine hyenas presented by the zoo were locally bred.
Beyond the numbers, the movement of animals from Thiruvananthapuram to other zoological parks is an indication of how species that initially found it difficult to even survive in captivity have not only adapted to the zoo’s environment but have also bred in numbers sufficient to support conservation and exchange programmes.