BHUBANESWAR: The Nandankanan Zoological Park is all set to welcome eight new members of four different species including two chinkaras to its family ahead of the 67th Wildlife Week from October 2 to 8.
The chinkara also known as the Indian gazelle will be a new species for Nandankanan.
Two chinkaras will be brought to the zoo from Nahargarh Biological Park in Jaipur. Besides, the zoo has a proposal pending with the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to bring four female and one male chinkara from Jodhpur in future, said zoo deputy director Sanjeet Kumar.
With this, the number of species in Nandankanan will increase to 159. As per the annual animal inventory of the zoo till March 31, Nandankanan has 3,670 members of 158 different species.
A total six animals and two reptiles will be brought from Nahargarh under animal exchange programme. The zoo will also get a pair of leopard and Indian wolf, and two male gharials.
The male gharials are required for Nandankanan to upscale the gharial recovery programme, while the leopard pair will enhance the exhibit value and breeding programme of the zoo, Kumar said.
A team from Nandankanan is scheduled to visit Nahargarh park on September 14 to bring the animals and reptiles.
The animals and reptiles are being brought in exchange of a male white tiger, a female royal Bengal tiger, one wild boar, 15 pair of zebra finch and seven male Java sparrow.
While Nandankanan had already sent the big cats, boar and birds to Nahargarh park in March, it couldn’t receive the animals and reptiles in exchange due to Covid restrictions.
The zoo which reopened on August 3 has recorded a footfall of 87,487 till September 10. The highest footfall of 6,832 after reopening of the zoo was recorded on September 10, he said.