The century-old Mysuru zoo is adding more animal species to its collections as it has struck a deal with a zoo in the Czech Republic and got a couple of exotic species of animals, making it one of the zoos with the most diverse collection of animal and bird species.
The zoo got wallaby and ring-tailed lemur early this month and they are under quarantine. Two male and three female ring-tailed lemurs and two female and one male wallabies arrived at the zoo under the animal exchange programme with the Czech zoo. In return, the Czech zoo has asked for a pair of wild dogs and a pair of wolves.
This is the first international animal exchange of Mysuru zoo this year.
“We had wallabies and also ring-tailed lemurs but they were getting aged and not breeding. Keeping the captive breeding in focus and also to add new bloodline, the young wallabies and lemurs were sought and the Czech zoo agreed. They arrived here in the first week of June and are in quarantine. They may be displayed in the month of July after completing all formalities,” said Zoo Executive Director Ajit Kulkarni.
Mr. Kulkarni told The Hindu that wallaby is a species from Australia while ring-tailed lemur is found in Madagascar. “Both are rare species.”
He said the Czech zoo has not immediately sought animals in exchange but has told us to consider giving a pair of wild dog and wolf. “Its request will be met and they will be transported after getting clearances.”
The last international exchange was in 2021 when the Mysuru zoo got two pairs of orangutans. The zoo got orangutans from Singapore and Malaysia and it was considered a major international animal exchange deal in recent years. It included 18-year-old male, Merlin, and 14-year-old female, Atina, from Singapore zoo and six-year-old male, Afa, and the 8-year-old female, Minnie, from Malaysia zoo. In return, the Mysuru zoo gave two pairs of giraffes.
In another major initiative, the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA)-Gorilla European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) spared two male gorillas after the Mysuru zoo’s persistent and long-drawn correspondence with it. The EAZA-EEP spared the animals for nothing in return. With this, the Mysuru zoo’s long wait for displaying gorillas after the death of Polo, the Western Lowland gorilla that died in 2014, finally ended. The zoo got gorillas - 15-year-old Thabo and 9-year-old Demba - from Germany.
The Mysuru zoo is the only zoo in the country to house gorillas that are being housed in the newly-constructed enclosure built by Infosys Foundation at a cost of ₹2.5 crore. This infrastructure played a key role in acquiring the animals. Also, a natural enclosure for orangutans was built at a cost of ₹70 lakh with funding from the Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran, Mysuru. Both are among the star attractions for the visitors at the zoo.
Zoo sources said the Mysuru zoo was in touch with many other foreign zoos in connection with animal exchanges. It is also in touch with corporate bodies and industries on getting CSR funds for constructing modern enclosures which play a major role in striking deals with the international zoos for exchanges as foreign zoos verify infrastructure before exchanging their animals.
