Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad (File photo)
Hyderabad: Zoo Park in Hyderabad received 117 rescued animals and birds from April 2024 to January. These animals were transferred for medical care and shelter after being rescued by forest officials, anti-poaching squads, and the general public.
Officials explained that most animals undergo rehabilitation for a brief period, typically 10 days or less before being released back into their natural habitat.
One of the most notable cases involved a six-year-old female langur, previously part of a small circus in Dammaiguda. She was rescued and transferred to the Zoo Park in Hyderabad following a complaint.
The circus run by Buchi Babu from Dammaiguda had used the langur for public entertainment training it to walk on a rope. Babu, who moved to Dammaiguda from Ibrahim Patnam a decade ago had kept the langur to earn money.
The langur was moved to Zoo Park in Hyderabad for rehabilitation where it is reported to be healthy and adjusting to its new environment.
A frequent issue involves birds getting entangled in synthetic manja (kite string), especially black kites, Indian rollers, and Alexandrine parakeets, some of which sustain permanent disabilities. Among the rescued animals, peacocks and other birds often arrive with injuries, typically from dog attacks or accidents.
The zoo rescues over 200 birds annually due to threats like illegal pet trade, habitat loss, and urban dangers. Other rescues in the past ten months included five black kites, ten Indian rollers, a red-eared slider turtle, a shikra, and eight Indian rock pythons.
The Nehru Zoological Park, located near Mir Alam Tank in Bahadurpura, was inaugurated on October 6, 1963, after the relocation of the erstwhile zoo enclosures from the Public Gardens. The construction of the Nehru Zoo Park in Hyderabad took four years after its construction began on October 26, 1959.
The Nehru Zoo Park currently hosts 2240 animals in total including 664 mammals of 55 species, 1227 birds of 97 species, 341 reptiles of 38 species and 8 amphibians of 2 species. The natural landscape of the Zoo attracts several migratory as well as resident birds.
The Zoo also allows the adoption of animals for a specified time for a fee that helps in the maintenance of the enclosure and the zoo’s work with wildlife conservation organizations worldwide.
This post was last modified on January 31, 2025 6:37 pm