Itanagar Zoo gets 2 Royal Bengal tigers, 3 fresh gharials

Two adult Royal Bengal tigers and three freshwater gharials, arrived at Itanagar Biological Park (Itanagar Zoo) here, from Nandankanan Zoo in Odisha. The animals were received at the park by senior officials of the state forest department on Monday evening, Zoo Curator Raya Flago said on Tuesday.

The animals were accompanied by a veterinary officer of the Itanagar Biological Park Dr Sorang Tadap from Odisha along with one assistant conservator of forest and a veterinary officer from Nandankanan Zoo, Flago said.

The Itanagar Zoo presently has a 13-year-old female tiger. "The pair of the new tigers – Sahini (female) of 2.4 years and Rocky (male) of 2.3 years, is kept in a separate enclosure," the Zoo Curator said, adding their names would be changed at a later stage.

Healthy habitats have been created for housing tigers and gharials in the zoo. Efforts are also being made to modernise the zoo, he added.

The tigers and the gharials have been exchanged from Nandankanan Zoo in lieu of exchange of Hoolock Gibbon and Leopard Cat as part of an animal exchange programme between both zoos, which was approved by the Central Zoo Authority, in March this year.

"We will provide a pair of Hoolock Gibbon and a pair of wild cat soon to the Nandankanan Zoo authorities as per the programme," he said.

Arunachal Pradesh is unique as it provides healthy habitats to major cats namely, Royal Bengal Tiger, Snow Leopard, Common Leopard and Clouded Leopard. The arrival of two tigers in the zoo will make it more useful in generating awareness on the importance of wildlife, Flago said.

The Itanagar Biological Park, an important biological asset for the northeastern state, currently has more than 30 mammal species, 12 bird species and 4 reptile species housed inside the park area.

The facility also has a rescue centre maintained under the veterinary supervision of the park to take care of rescued wild animals.