Master Planning of Zoos - Central Zoo Authority

Proceedings of
Training Programme
Interaction with wild pandas- positive sign of adjustment
Master Planning
of Zoos
• Mini was seen interacting with the wild pandas.
• Entered into the Nepal forest in January 2004
• Mini found dead in March 2004, sign of predation.
• Her skull, portion of her tail and paw along with attached collar was found on
the 15th March, 2004.
Behavioral observation
• Sweety was observed to be very
mobile.
• Seen together with a wild panda
on 17th Feb., 26th Feb., 11th
March, 1st April, 3rd April.
• Sweety gave birth to a cub in a tree
hollow on the 7th July, 2004.
• A success story.
Release of Star Tortoise (Geochelone elegans)
• Star Tortoises are found in the forests of Western and Southern Indian States.
• In recent times, there has been spurt in its smuggling to the countries of South East
Asia and Far East due to its heavy demand as pet.
• During 2002-2003 many number of Star Tortoises have been seized by enforcement
agencies at airports both within and outside the country.
• One of the largest ever consignment of 1830 Star Tortoises was seized by Singapore
CITES Authorities, in a unique joint cooperative effort by various agencies.
• Upon seizure, the consignment was flown back to India, thereafter, these animals were
quarantined at Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad and released into the wild on
15.11.2003 after ascertaining its home range through DNA typing conducted at Centre
for Cellular and Molecular Biology,
Hyderabad.
• The animals have been micro chipped so that
in the event of its smuggling in future, it
would be possible to identify the areas
vulnerable to poaching.
• This operation is unique in the sense that both
ex-situ and in-situ managers worked together
for the conservation of this species.
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