Master Planning of Zoos - Central Zoo Authority

Western Tragopan
Proceedings of
Training Programme
Master Planning
of Zoos
§ Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus) also known as the Blackheaded
Tragopan or Western Horned Pheasant, has its distribution in the
Western Himalayas in Northern Pakistan and Northwestern India.
§ They disappeared from collections in the 1930s and currently, it is understood
that there are no Western Tragopan in captivity outside India
§ Western Tragopan is kept in captivity at Sarahan Pheasantry in Himachal
Pradesh. The Pheasantry is situated at just under 8,000 ft. in 1993, the
pheasantry managed to hatch and raise one chick under a broody hen, the only
bird raised in captivity during the whole 20th Century.
§ Dr. John Corder, Vice president, World Pheasant Association had taken a keen
interest in the programme and according to his direction a conservation
breeding programme was initiated at Sarahan
§ The Central Zoo Authority is providing financial assistance to creation of a
separate facility for the pheasants at Sarahan
§ Two of the officers from Sarahan, B.L.Negi & Alam Singh, spent a couple of
weeks training at Downlands pheasantry in the UK in Jan/Feb 2003 and the
knowledge and skills they acquired have paid immense dividends
§ The enclosures have been re-modeled according to the needs of the pheasants;
they have also developed a diet from locally available resources which
replicates very closely that are used by wild birds
§ The first breeding efforts from a young pair were attempted in 2004
§ Success was achieved during June 2005, when 4 chicks were born. Two are
surviving
§ Field research is already under way to better understand the bird and its habitat
requirements.
Western Tragopan at Sarahan Pheasantry, Himachal Pradesh
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