Bhubaneswar: Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP) authorities on Saturday released 36 animals and birds belonging to 11 new species into enclosures for public viewing as part of the state-level Wildlife Week celebrations.
According to zoo sources, NZP received 58 animals and birds belonging to 14 species September 12 as a donation from the Radha Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust in Gujarat. “The donated animals and birds are four zebras, four kangaroos, six Bennett’s wallabies, four ring-tailed lemurs, four tufted capuchins, four scarlet macaws, four blue-and-gold macaws, four green-winged macaws, four sulphur-crested cockatoos, four crowned cranes, four scarlet ibises, six meerkats, two casso waries and four blue wildebeests,” they said.
“Of these, 36 animals and birds belonging to 11 species were released into enclosures for public viewing Saturday,” they said, adding that the animals and birds included zebras, kangaroos, Bennett’s wallabies, tufted capuchins, meerkats, scarlet ibises, sulphur-crested cock atoos, scarlet macaws, blue-and-gold macaws, green-winged macaws and crowned cranes.
NZP Deputy Director Pradeep Mirase said the remaining ones belonging to three species would be released into enclosures in the coming days. The move will give visitors an opportunity to see the new animals and birds while strengthening the zoo’s objectives of wildlife conservation, education and awareness, the sources said.
NZP authorities have also sought permission from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade to import two female red kangaroos from the Czech Republic and two zebras from another country. The authorities have received approval for the proposed imports, officials said.