Delhi Zoo to get tiger, send tigress

New Delhi: The National Zoological Park (NZP) will receive a tiger from Patna Zoo, and will send a white tigress along with several other species under an animal exchange scheme aimed at promoting breeding, an official said.

Delhi Zoo Director Sanjeet Kumar (IFS) told PTI that the exchange has been designed to address both breeding requirements and the need to diversify species within the zoo.

He said the zoo will receive four gharials, four grey wolves – two males and two females — and two barn owls from Patna Zoo in March. In return, the zoo will send a group of animals that includes Sangai deer (also known as Manipur deer), a tigeress, painted storks, white pelicans, and black bucks.

Explaining the rationale behind the exchange, Kumar said the zoo currently has only one female wolf, which limits the scope for a sustainable breeding programme. “The main objective of this exchange is to develop a healthy breeding environment and also to add more species to our collection,” he said. Kumar said that NZP currently houses 13 tigers and cubs. Of these, seven are Royal Bengal tigers, and six are white tigers. He said the number of female tigers is higher, while most of the males are old, as at present, there are only four male tigers.