Bannerghatta Park gets white tigress, gharial in swap with Patna zoo

NT Correspondent Bengaluru Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) announced that they have executed another wild animal exchange programme. BBP Executive Director AV Surya Sen said that they had sent a male Zebra and two male Thamin (Eld’s) deer to Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park located in Patna, Bihar for gharials (a kind of fisheating, freshwater crocodile), a white tigress, and a jungle cat. “Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP), Bengaluru, is pleased to announce the successful completion of an animal exchange program with Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park, Patna, Bihar, under animal exchange program as per the approval from Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi.

This initiative is part of BBP's ongoing efforts to enhance species diversity for ex-situ (preservation outside natural habitat) conservation. As part of the exchange, BBP sent a male Zebra and two male Thamin deer to Patna zoo and in return, received critically endangered Gharials, a White Tigress, and a Jungle cat. These new residents are housed in a quarantine area for a few days to allow them to acclimatize to Bangalore weather and are under constant observation,” Sen said.

“This exchange aims to strengthen the conservation and breeding programs at both the zoos, while providing visitors with the opportunity to observe and learn about the species up close. Animal exchange prorams lso highlight the collaborative efforts of Indian zoos," he added.