Master Planning of Zoos - Central Zoo Authority

Technical Session V
Red Jungle Fowl
§ Recent publications have expressed fears that wild red jungle fowl populations
may be genetically contaminated leading to an inference that there may be no
pure Red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) in the wild.
§ A proposal to carryout a study of the red jungle fowl in captivity was initiated
in the year 2001 by the World Pheasant Association-South Asia Chapter, to
identify pure red jungle fowl in Indian zoos and segregate them for initiating
a planned breeding programme.
§ The Central Zoo Authority had supported the study.
§ As a result of the study, it was found that the specimens kept in the Indian
zoos phenotypically resembled the pure variety of Red Jungle fowl.
§ All these fowls were marked with closed ring and the zoos were advised to
keep the birds segregated from other fowls.
§ The National Zoological Park, Delhi was instructed to initiate a breeding
programme for the species in association with the WPA.
§ The Central Zoo Authority provided financial assistance for construction of
an appropriate enclosure for the fowls in off display area of the zoo. The
programme initially started with 5 birds.
§ At present their population is 25.
§ Similar success has also been achieved at Morni in Haryana, where soft release
of the fowls in the nearby sanctuary areas have also been carried out, by the
Haryana Forest Department.
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