Alipore Zoo successfully breeds anacondas

Kolkata: Alipore Zooloogical Gardens has been able to achieve successful breeding of anacondas in the zoo, a year after four anacondas (two male and two female ) were brought from Madras Snake Park in June 2019.

The birth of 11 yellow anacondas through breeding in naturalistic environment developed by the zoo authorities was announced by state Forest minister Rajib Banerjee on the occasion of World Snake Day (July 16).

"We have created a naturalistic environment in the enclosure of the anacondas having water pool, rock swamps and vegetation which has helped in the breeding," said a senior official of Alipore Zoo.

There are four types of anaconda species among which green anaconda is the

largest.

The yellow anaconda is one of the largest species of snakes found across the world. The anaconda variety of snakes do not lay eggs, they give direct birth. A new born anaconda is usually bigger than the babies of most of the snakes in the world.

They are around 1 percent of the body size of their mother. After giving birth the mother leaves her young and they are able to live on their own.

"It is a boon for Alipore Zoo as the successful breeding of the anacondas will help us in exchange programmes with other zoos and we will be able to bring animals that are not in the collection of Alipore Zoo. We may also shift the some of them to other zoos in the state," said V K Yadav, Member Secretary of West Bengal Zoo Authority (WBZA). WBZA was established in the year 2010 for the development and scientific management of government controlled zoos in the state.

Anacondas that are usually found in South American countries like Paraguay, Bolivia, Brazil etc have been a prime attraction of the Alipore Zoo since its introduction in the enclosure.

There are around 3,000 species of snakes found in the world among which 300 are found in India.