Delhi zoo population goes up by just 4

Total number of animals and birds -- both exotic and Indian origin -- at Delhi zoo has increased by just four in the past year as compared to the previous year's rise of nearly 100.
According to the annual inventory report of the National Zoological Park, Delhi, there were 1,355 animals and birds as on April 1, 2015 as against 1,351 last year. The number stood at 1,256 in 2013.
At present, there are 1,355 animals of 31 exotic species and 40 Indian species at the Delhi zoo, curator Riyaz Khan said.
Old age, fighting among animals and fatal diseases are some of the reasons behind deaths of animals, he said. While there were 210 exotic animals in 2014, the zoo currently has just 213 such animals. There were 760 Indian origin animals last year, and the number has come down to 753 this time.

Munia, the resident breeding birds found in Africa and South Asia, as well endangered species like black buck registered the highest mortality rate last financial year.
"We lost 10 black bucks and nine Munia birds last year," Khan said.

The zoo official, however, said that efforts are being made to post an impressive figure next year through boosting zoo-exchange initiatives and breeding programmes.
Many animals like hippopotamus, white tiger, golden pheasants, lion-tailed macaque, jackal and common fox have recently given birth to healthy offspring, he said.
"We recently received three male hippopotamuses and four female ones from breeding. Others species are also responding well to the breeding programmes. We hope that we work on our habitants' numbers and post an impressive figure next year. The efforts are on," Khan added.