The Delhi Zoo will soon add the puma to its variety of cats. A proposal to have an exchange programme with an American zoo has also been sent to the Central Zoo authorities which is likely to be approved by the end of this month.
“We are waiting for the confirmation. We have already sent the proposal,” said R A Khan, zoo curator.
Delhi Zoo had a pair of pumas till the 1990s but after that there were no exchange programmes held in Delhi. “We want to attract more visitors and since the master plan construction has already begun we will also have the required space for such animals,” added Khan.
If the exchange programme proposal is approved, the zoo will give away a white tigress. “We have started breeding of white tigers in our zoo. So if we give away one we will still be left with five other white tigers,” said Khan.
Delhi zoo has six white tigers at present.
After a gap of nearly five years, the zoo planned to begin breeding of white tigers.
“Earlier we didn’t have enough space but now we will be able to accommodate both parents and their children. Also, this year, the zoo has given away three of them to other zoos in the country which have made more space,” said Khan.
The zoo also intends to start a breeding programme for other animals such as Asiatic lions, jaguars, hyenas and wolves in the coming months.
Also, the zoo has witnessed better bird breeding compared to last 20 years. “We have never seen this kind of breeding before. The local migration has been good bringing more birds,” said Khan.
Even students from Jawaharlal Nehru University had done a mapping of the 350 nests build by migratory birds which revealed the number of inmates have almost doubled compared to last year.
However, this year migratory birds from Siberia are likely to come late because of the delayed monsoon.
The zoo is also facing a volunteer crunch as out of 17 student volunteers, who had signed up to help the zoo during summer, only two have turned up from Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi University.
“Most of the student volunteers from Dayal Singh College haven’t turned up yet,” said Khan.
These volunteers were asked to research and guide zoo visitors about the history of different animals. Students from Venkateswara College have decided to focus on lion tailed macaques.
