Summary:
MANGALURU: The Pilikula Biological Park at the Shivarama Karantha Pilikula Nisargadhama has expanded its repertoire of animals.Under an animal exchange programme approved by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), the biological park at Moodushedde has received four dholes or wild dogs, five painted storks and five Alexandrine Parakeets from Indira Gandhi Zoological Park at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.H Jayaprakash Bhandary, the director of Pilikula Biological Park told TOI that it is a matter of personal satisfaction for him to have obtained the dholes or ‘Chennenai’ in Tulu under the animal exchange for he has been at it for the last five years.“These dholes were once commonly seen in western and eastern Ghats region. Now their number has dwindled so much that they are listed under endangered animal category,” he said.The two pairs of dholes received consist of two males and as many females, he said, adding the Zoological Park at Visakhapatnam has an active Dhole breeding programme, which has lent these animals known for their hunting skills in a pack. “The dholes are known to have taken down elephant calves, adult tigers and even, attacking their prey in turns till such time that the victim is defenceless and not in a position to ward of the same,” he noted.In return, the biological park has spared two male tigers - Manju, and Akshaya - four-years-old, four red jungle fowls and a marsh crocodile to the Visakhapatnam Zoological Park, Bhandary said.At present, the dholes have been kept in quarantine and will be released to the display enclosure next week readied for them, he said, adding these fiercely independent and intelligent wild animals need time to acclimatise to their new surroundings..