Conservation

RESCUE AND REHABILITATION CENTRE

• A Rescue center in Arignar Anna Zoological Park was planned for housing the rescued and injured animals during the year 2000-2001.
• The paddock areas and animal cells are being cleaned daily. Repairing of ropes, Chain links, and paintings are being carried out in a periodic manner.
• Seven kg of beef along with 150 grams of liver for each is being provided to Lions and Tigers housed at the Rescue center.
• The health and hygiene of animals are being attended to by a full-time veterinarian and a Forester appointed especially for rescued animals.
• The total expenditure of maintaining the rescue center is being met by Central Zoo Authority.

• The Veterinary team at AAZP includes one Veterinary Officer, Two Veterinary Assistant Surgeons (Deputation From TN Animal Husbandry Department), One Lab assistant, and Two assistants.
• The Veterinary Team takes rounds every day in the morning to all enclosures in the Zoo, to assess the health of Zoo animals, birds, reptiles, and related issues like Hygiene.
• Depending on the severity of the sickness, the animals will be isolated and shifted to an in-patient ward or kept in the animal house for further care, monitoring and treatment.
• The fully equipped Zoo hospital with lab facilities is available at AAZP. A spacious Quarantine unit to accommodate newly acquired animals and sick animals suspected of contagious diseases is also available.
• Veterinarians continuously ensure the Quality and Quantity of animal feeds.

Veterinary internship training programme

• Veterinary Internship students from Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Science University (TANUVAS) and other Veterinary colleges from south India.
• International Veterinary Students from Georgia, Oklahoma and Washington DC University (United States of America) also visit Arignar Anna Zoological Park for an exposure visit.
• During the internship training, students were exposed to various wildlife health management, restraint, disease prophylaxis, Nutrition, feed analysis and safety measures.
• Apart from this, as our Zoo hospital is capable of providing emergency and critical care to wildlife with unique infrastructure and skilled personnel, an exposure-based externship for international Wildlife medicine resident students was also conducted.

Prophylaxis

• Prophylactic Deworming of all mammals, birds and Reptiles were done every 3 month (April, July, October, January).
• Lions, Royal Bengal Tigers, White Tigers , Leopards, and small felids were vaccinated against Feline panleucopenia, feline calcivirus, and feline rhinotracheitis virus and Rabies Virus on annual basis.
• Triquin as prophylaxis is administered to all Lions, Tigers, Leopards, Wolf, jackal, hyaena and Wild dogs on Quarterly basis.
• Wolf, Striped Hyaena, Jackal were vaccinated with Canine DHLPPi and rabies virus on annual basis.
• The bovines which includes Gaurs and Nilgai were vaccinated against FMD, Black quarter and Haemorrhagic septicaemia.
• Elephants were vaccinated against Hemorrhagic septicaemia Tetanus Toxoid and Anthrax.
• Annual ring vaccination around the Zoo boundary Villages were done against, FMD,Black quarter, Haemorrhagic Septicaemia and Anthrax by state animal Husbandry Department before Northeast Monsoon.
• Ectoprasiticidal (Deltamethrin, Cypermethrin) spraying and Animal house disinfection with Flame Gun in all carnivore enclosures on monthly basis.

LION TAILED MACAQUE

In Brief: Lion Tailed Macaque, A endangered animal in India was a threat to our biodiversity due to its endangered status.

Breeding Objectives: To protect & maintenance the most endangered LTM.

AAZP's initiatives

• Collaboration with Mysore & Trivandrum Zoo & CZA for Funding.
• Special groups in 3 Zoos for overall wellbeing & safeguard of LTM.
• The lion-tailed macaque is one of the most critically endangered indigenous species to the tropical rain forests of the Western Ghats in southwest India.
• The maintenance of a Viable population of endangered species representing their genetic viability in the wild is a major goal of the Zoological Park.
• To safeguard, this species Arignar Anna Zoological Park submitted a project on a conservation breeding program for LTM in collaboration with South Indian Zoos Viz., Mysore Zoo and Trivandrum Zoo to the Central Zoo Authority for funding the project.
• The proposal envisaged the establishment of five social groups in 3 Zoos, the designing of appropriate enclosures and monitoring social-behavioral and reproductive health of the group and the training of Zoo personnel.
• The project has been approved by the Central Zoo Authority.
• Two off-exhibit water moated enclosures have been built for Lion-tailed macaques away from the visitor area to promote natural behavior and fit for the reintroduction program.

Nilgiri langur

• This species has also been designated to Arignar Anna Zoological Park as species coordinator.
• It is the only Zoo where regular breeding is ensured.

Nilgiri Tahr

• This species has also been designated to Arignar Anna Zoological Park as species coordinator.
• No animal is available in the Park. Steps have been initiated to procure the animals.
• Many species like Indian Bison, Deer Species, Indian Rock Python, Reticulated Python, Painted Stork, Night Heron, Egrets, Ibis, Grey Heron and Grey Pelicans are regularly breeding.

• The Zoo is an excellent Ex-situ conservation center and offers the opportunity to research animal behavior, nutrition, reproduction, and veterinary care.
• Perception of people about conservation of the natural resources can be achieved by visiting our Zoo.
• Research scholars from different forestry institutions and Post Graduate students from different Universities are conducting Research programs for their academic qualification (M.sc., M.Phil., B.V.Sc., M.V.Sc., and Ph.D.,)