Sensible approach needed for Vandalur zoo‘mates’ to breed

A visit to the zoo never fails to enthral the child in us. For most families, a zoo outing is a part of their annual schedule as children and adults love spending time amidst animals. But, for the hundreds of veterinarians, biologists and maintenance staff at the zoo, it is a delicate and often risky endeavour. 

The recent incident at Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP) here, popularly known as the Vandalur Zoo, when an 18-month-old tiger cub bit the hand of a woman caretaker during the visit of actor Ajit and his family, highlights the dangers involved in dealing with wild animals in captivity.

Biologists working at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP) point out that the Vandalur zoo is not merely a venue for displaying animals but a habitat for breeding wild animals in a controlled environment and it is desirable that a sensible approach is put in place to ensure that the animals and their caretakers coexist in a safe and healthy environment. 

At a time when forest cover is depleting and human-animal conflict is on the rise, zoos offer hope for future sustenance of several species. And the Vandalur zoo is no exception. “These are wild animals, not your pets. Already stressed out inside the enclosures, they normally take rest during the daytime. We should not expect them to entertain us,” said T Murugavel, a naturalist, pointing out that it is human beings who are flouting the norms.

At present, AAZP has around 2,600 animals of 170 species on its sprawling campus. When it comes to breeding and exchange of the animals, the Vandalur zoo has a well-established practice that has evolved over the years by the zoo management. “It is not so easy to breed animals in captivity. 

There are many things to be followed like ensuring good upkeep, stimulating and stress-free environment, and bringing together of young and adjustable pairs. We should also see that the pairs do not fall under the inbreeding category. We have a database for every animal to ensure that they do not end up inbreeding,” said Dr A Manimozhi, biologist at AAZP.

Often, the breeding process involves exchange of animals with other zoos for better breeding. The Vandalur zoo currently has animals from other state zoos, including Mysuru, Thiruvananthapuram, and Hyderabad, which are some of the major zoos with exchange programmes. “While bringing from other states, we should have regular monitoring. 

We should ensure that the pairs are not hurting each other as it is a new environment for them to adapt,” said Manimozhi. The zoo did have a bitter experience in 2013 when a three-year-old male white tiger succumbed to injuries suffered during a fight with its potential mate, a nine-year-old Royal Bengal tigress.

The zoo here has a large population of Nilgiri tahr, Lion-tailed Macaque and Nilgiris Langur which are some of the major species that are often exchanged with other states. Between April 2019 and January 2020, the zoo had received several animals, including hippopotamus, hog deer, and the Indian wolf from the Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad, while it exchanged Lion tailed Macaque, wolves, tigers, ostrich and rhea birds with the Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan, Patna.

Between April 2018 and March 2019, the zoo had exchanged more than 20 animals, including Wild Ass, Nilgiri Langur, Lion tailed Macaque, jungle cat, Indian gaur, tiger, wolves, and Alexandrian Parakeet to other state zoos including the ones in Mysuru, Thiruvanathapuram, and Hyderabad. “As we had difficulty in maintaining the hippopotamus, we passed on four hippos to Mysuru zoo. Currently, we have six hippopotamuses, three males and three females,” a zoo official said.

Breeding of animals at the Vandalur zoo began in 1985 and the first few animal species that were bred successfully include the blackbuck, lion and tiger besides monkeys. 

Biologists pointed out that being a tropical city, most animals found the weather conducive for breeding and that with a right pair and adequate amount of nutrients, breeding was not an issue. Officials also said that when a zoo has a good breeding practice, it is a clear indicator that the facility is being well maintained. Apart from maintenance, the zoo has to possess good healthy pairs of animals in a stress-free atmosphere.

Considering the successful breeding practices at the zoo, the Central government had requested the state to set up rescue and rehabilitation centres at Vandalur zoo and in 2000, the veterinary officials had planned to rehabilitate 40 lions and 20 tigers. Now, the zoo has 28 lions and 6 tigers. “The paddock areas and animal cells are being cleaned daily and each of the lions and tigers in the centre is provided with 7 kg of beef along with 150 grams of liver,” said a zoo official.

Pointing out that illegal trade of exotic animals is posing a threat to the State’s fauna wealth and native breed, biologist Manimozhi said that most often the smugglers are getting help from the locals. “So many animals are getting smuggled out of the city illegally for commercial purposes. 

The dealers hire locals who know how to catch the animals live or to kill and extract fur or other body parts. This is a concern as when exotic animals are illegally traded in the state, it would affect our native breed,” noted the biologist.

The animals are regularly monitored by the biologists, veterinary doctors and maintenance staff alike. The feed of the animal is continuously changed taking into consideration the prevailing body conditions and biological parameters of the animal, which are regularly monitored and recorded.

Speaking on the upkeep of the animals at the zoo, biologist Dr M Sekar said all animals are regularly dewormed to rid them of helminths parasites so as to improve appetite. “It is based on the type of animals and how they are placed inside the enclosure, environment, density, rotation schedule, housing type besides factors like immune suppression, species variation, and viability,” Sekar said.