Earlier, the jackals were housed in a small doom-type enclosure. Considering its habitat, a new spacious enclosure of 18 ft x 40 ft with a height of 60 ft has been constructed for their free movement and courtship, according to a press release from the zoo’s Executive Director B P Ravi.
There are two holding rooms with a provision for a breeding den, which facilitates burrowing and hiding spaces. Feeding trough and drinking water facilities are also provided.
Visitors can view the animals through a glass panel, while the other sides of the enclosure are camouflaged with greenery. Jackals are diurnal and suitable care is taken to build the enclosure so as to provide natural habitat conditions, said the release.The total cost for the new enclosure was Rs 10.50 lakh.
At present, the zoo houses five jackals (one male and four females).
A pair was received from Mysore Circle during 2002 and three females, which were rescued by the public, are also rehabilitated in the zoo.
The animals were released into the new enclosure by chairman M Nanjundaswamy in the presence of Mayor Pushpalatha, T B Chikkanna and other governing council members and officers of Mysore zoo.
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