Mandrills introduced at Hyderabad zoo under animal exchange programme
HYDERABAD: Two male mandrills have been introduced at Nehru Zoological Park as part of an animal exchange programme with Tata Steel Zoological Park, officials said.
The mandrills, siblings aged about 23 months, were released into the enclosure at the Primate Park on March 26 after completing a 45-day quarantine period. They are now open for public display.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden of Telangana, Vinay Kumar, supervised the release. The animals were procured from the Jamshedpur zoo in exchange for a pair of African lions.
Officials highlight conservation and breeding efforts
Zoo authorities said the mandrills arrived last month and were kept under observation before being cleared for display.
Speaking on the occasion, Vinay Kumar said the zoo has achieved a strong record in wildlife conservation and breeding of indigenous and exotic species. He added that the forest department and zoo management are working to increase animal stock and improve visitor experience.
“With this addition, we expect more visitors during the summer season,” he said.
Zoo houses over 2,100 animals across 196 species
The Nehru Zoological Park currently houses 196 species and over 2,100 individual animals, making it one of the major zoological facilities in the country.
Director of Zoo Parks Sunil S. Hiremath and curator J. Vasantha were present during the release, along with veterinary and administrative staff, including deputy curator J. Muralidhar and other officials.
