In the first major animal exchange with zoos outside Maharashtra, the Balasaheb Thackeray Gorewada International Zoological Park, Gorewada, on Thursday, received herds of blackbuck, albino blackbuck, sambar and barking deer from National Zoological Park, New Delhi. The Gorewada zoo received 10 blackbucks, 10 albino blackbucks, 4 sambar and 20 barking deer from Delhi zoo, informed Pramod Panchbhai, Divisional Manager, Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) to The Hitavada. Gorewada Rescue Centre (GRC), shifted two female tigers and a pair of sloth bears to Delhi Zoo, recently. In exchange, the Gorewada zoo received the herbivorous for its Indian Safari. Panchbhai also said, “The technical committee of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), on September 16, 2021, had cleared the exchange proposal.”

 

The Gorewada zoo is likely to get more brow-antlered (sangai) deer, painted stock and some other wild animals from different zoos in the country soon, said Panchbhai. Currently, all the animals have been quarantined inside the Herbivores Enclosure of Gorewada zoo. After the quarantine period they will be released in the open space of the enclosure, he added. Veterinary Officer of Delhi zoo Dr Abhijeet Bhaval was in the city to receive the animals from Gorewada Rescue Centre. The two tigresses, around three years old, were engaged in human-animal conflict and were captured from Bramhapuri in Chandrapur district. The animals were shifted in two vehicles along with veterinarians Dr Mayur Pawshe and Dr Syed Bilal. The vehicle that carried the tigers and sloth bears reached Delhi on October 4. Whereas the same vehicles carried back the herbivores to Nagpur on Thursday morning.