A five-month-old female Black Panther and a pair of Ostrich joined the other wild animals in Lion and Tiger Safari of Tyavarekoppa situated on the outskirts of the city on Sunday, said M Nanjundaswamy, president of Zoo Authority of Karnataka.
Talking to reporters in the city on Sunday, Nanjundaswamy said Black Panther is a rare species, born due to genetic mutation. Its mother, a spotted leopard, is normal like any other leopard, he added.
He said a restaurant is being established and a new vehicle has been provided at Tyavarekoppa Lion and Tiger Safari besides shifting 117 species of birds from Mysore zoo. As Mysore zoo is famous for captive breeding, birds from there are being sent to mini zoos in Gadag, Belgaum, Banneraghatta and to Davanagere. More than 700 birds were being sent to these zoos from Mysore, he said.
All daily wagers who have completed ten years of service in various zoos and safaris in the state would get a special allowance of Rs 1,000 with effect from April 1, 2012. About 80 staff in Banneraghatta, 17 in Mysore and seven in Shimoga would get the benefit. However, the regularisation of their service is pending before the Finance Department and the government has to take a decision on this matter, he added.
Project on supplying of drinking water from the city to Safari is on the verge of completion at a cost of Rs 90 lakhs. Once this is completed, fodder plots would be developed, he said.
