Ex-Situ updates - Central Zoo Authority

5. Conservation breeding
The CZA has initiated a conservation
breeding programme for the Brown
Bear and Malayan Sun Bear at
Himalayan Nature Park, Kufri, and
Aizawl Zoo, respectively, and the zoos
are being asked to develop off-display
conservation breeding centres, for
which the Central Zoo Authority will
provide 100% financial assistance.
6. Capacity building
The Central Zoo Authority has
entrusted to the IVRI with standardizing
the diets of animals in captivity, including
bears. The Central Zoo Authority is
also organizing training programmes
and workshops for all personnel of
zoos (irectors, curators, biologists,
educators, veterinarians and keepers)
to enhance their efficiency and skills
in zoo management. One zoo director
and veterinarian are being deputed
every year to attend the Endangered
Species Recovery Course, conducted
by Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust,
Jersey, UK. Now a similar programme
is being organised in India as well,
with invited faculty members of Durrell
Conservation Academy. The Central
Zoo Authority hopes that its efforts will
raisethestatusofupkeepandveterinary
care of bear species in captivity, which
will ultimately be helpful in successful
breeding and conservation of bear
species in India.
A keeper at Sepahijala Zoo
4
Photo Credit: Dr Brij Kishor Gupta
Himalayan Black Bears at Assam State Zoo, Guwahati
7. Memorandum of understanding
between the Leipzig Zoo (LZ) and
the Central Zoo Authority (CZA):
The Chairperson, Central Zoo
Authority, has approved a proposed
memorandum of understanding to
be signed between Leipzig Zoo (LZ),
Germany, and the Central Zoo Authority
(CZA) to cooperate to improve, develop
and implement future strategies for:
(i) capacity building/exchange of
manpower
(ii) sharing of management practices
(iii) scientific animal exchanges
(iv) convening a training programme
for zoo supervisors in India to
be conducted by the experts of
Leipzig Zoo, Leipzig
(v) designing exhibits
(vi) conducting research and
conservation breeding
programmes
The MoU identifies the following zoos
for exchange of scientific information
and exchange of Sloth Bears and
other species:
(i) National Zoological Park, New
Delhi (Delhi)
(ii) Sri Chamarajendra Zoological
Gardens, Mysore (Karnataka)
(iii) Nehru Zoological Park,
Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh)
(iv) Arignar Anna Zoological Park,
Vandalur, Chennai (Tamil Nadu)
(v) Assam State Zoo, Guwahati
(Assam)
(vi) Nandankanan Zoological Park,
Bhubaneswar (Odisha)
Malayan Sun Bear at Mizoram Zoo
Photo Credit: Himanshu Malhotraa
The authors are Member Secretary and
Evaluation & Monitoring Officer at the CZA.
Photo Credit: Himanshu Malhotra