Bhubaneswar’s Nandankanan Zoo Records More Births Than Deaths In Last 5 Years: Minister

Bhubaneswar: In a cheerful news for animal lovers, Nandankanan Zoological Park has recorded more births of wild than deaths during the last five years.

Replying to unstarred question in the Assembly on Tuesday, Forest and Environment Minster Bikram Keshari Arukha said 1,392 wild animals were born in the zoo during the last five years. Highest of 342 wild animals were born in 2017-18 while 273 have taken birth in the zoo this year, so far.

Informing about the deaths, Arukha said 355 wild animals died in the last five years, with highest of 98 deaths recorded in 2019-20. The  deaths were mostly of mammals, he added. While highest 98 deaths was recorded in 2019-20, lowest of 49 was reported in 2016-17. Among the winged species, 165 birds died during the period.

Among reptiles, eight Yellow Anacondas and three Nile Crocodiles were brought from Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology (MCBT), Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu in October 2019 under the animal exchange programme.

Besides, four male Asiatic lions were brought from Kanan Pendari Zoo Park in Chhattisgarh on March 17,2020, while another two Asiatic lioness were brought from Indore Zoo in December, 2020.