Malsi Deer Park to get pair of ostriches from Tamil Nadu

DEHRADUN: Tourists and wildlife lovers will soon be able to watch a pair of ostriches at the city’s Malsi Deer Park as a Dehradun forest division four-member team left for Chennai on Friday to bring these exotic birds within a week’s time from Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University where this species is bred. The Central Zoo Authority had given permission early this year to adopt the species from Tamil Nadu.

Forest officers said it will be the state’s first zoo to have these exotic birds on display for tourists. Having secured the status of a mini zoo in 2012, the Malsi Deer Park is one of state’s three zoos which receive over three lakh tourists annually generating revenue of nearly `40 lakh. Other two zoos are – Pt GB Pant High Altitude Zoo in Nainital and Mrig Vihar Zoo in Almora.

The team will first study about the species’ feeding schedule, behaviour pattern, vaccination and other details. The caretaker who will look after the species at the zoo also accompanied the team to get field exposure.

The zoo already has a variety of species including leopards, owls, ducks, exotic birds and others. In this regard, cages for the animals have already been made. The species will also be kept for adoption as wildlife lovers can fund for their food and maintenance for a limited period. By doing so, they (wildlife lovers) will be eligible for income tax rebate under Section 80 G of the Income Tax Act.

The pair would be brought here in a truck after covering a distance of about 2,500 kilometres within a week’s time through states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, MP, Rajasthan and Delhi.

This species is listed under ‘least concern’ category of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) owing to its wide range habitat.