Patna zoo to spend Rs 2.2 crore on enclosures for its new inmates

PATNA: The officials at Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park, aka Patna zoo, are busy developing new enclosures and modifying some existing ones for the new inmates likely to arrive from abroad by April and June.
Officials said the zoo is to spend estimated Rs2.2 crore on the modification and development of new enclosures to be ready by March-end.
Patna zoo will get a pair of two-horned rhinos from Vietnam in lieu of pair of one-horned rhinos under the animal exchange programme of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) by April first week.
The city zoo will also get a pair each of green anaconda, Nile crocodile, royal python and rhino iguana from Denmark in exchange of one male and seven female gharials.
Amit Kumar, Patna zoo director, told this newspaper on Saturday that enclosures are being modified as per the requirement of new guests. “We have to consider the geological, psychological and basking requirements of the new inmates. Fountains and green cover will be prepared for the snakes. In Reptile House, two snake enclosures are undergoing modification to house green anaconda and royal python,” Amit said.
He further said that the natural habitat and diet of the new snakes — anaconda and royal python — is different from the snakes at Patna zoo. The coming snakes need a bigger enclosure measuring 40X30 feet because they can easily grow up to 1,500mm, he said.
“Besides glass terrariums, they require wooden chips, bulbs and warm basking area inside the enclosure. For diet, these reptiles eat chicken, rodents, fish and lizards,” he explained.
The zoo director said a separate enclosure would be made adjacent to Reptile House for rhino iguana. “They need space to climb, hide and bask. Iguana eats fruits, vegetables, leaves and insects. They need natural surroundings. Strong well-fixed branches or logs, fountain and rocks add a more naturalistic look to the enclosure along with some foliage,” Amit said.
The zoo administration is also creating a small pond of fresh water near the Rhino Breeding Centre for the pair of Nile crocodile. The pair will get beef, chicken and fish in their diet. The inmates from Danish zoo will be here by June.
“For two-horned rhinos, we are making few modifications in the existing enclosure of one-horned rhinos. We will keep the new inmates at display, while the one-horned rhinos will be kept in Rhino Breeding Centre, which will be ready by March. A bigger night house is being prepared for two-horned rhinos and as they prefer less swampy area. They will be here by first week of April,” he said.
The breeding facility under construction for one-horned rhinoceroses is spread over an area of 2.5 acres between new lake and jungle trail area on the zoo premises. It is being developed with an estimated outlay of Rs4.11 crore. The centre would have facility of a night house, a shaded area and an open area. The breeding area would also have a lake and grassland to stimulate natural habitat for rhinos and help in mating.