Found this article about Patna zoo mentioning Indian rhino and gharial at the zoo. Patna Zoo world No 2 in rhino count-Patna-Cities-The Times of India
Yes, did see this one. Interesting. The rhino enclosure in patna looks quite decent. Do you know anything about what happened to the Golden Langurs in Patna Zoo?
AR, I cannot find any info on golden langurs Trachypithecus geei ever being exhibitted at Patna Zoo. Perhaps you are mistaken with their common langurs Semnopithecus entellus? As for Indian rhinos: Patna currently holds 11 (5.6). At least 2 Indian zoos are due to receive a female for breeding purposes from Patna. Jelle
It is good that they have genetic diversity there, but 5 males .... are there any problems with aggressive behaviour. Or do they seem to get along fine? Or are they kept totally out of range from each other.
Sure enough India may yet be a developing nation where it concerns zoos, even so Patna Zoo is an expert center for breeding Indian rhinos. Since, 2000 they have witnessed 3.3 births, which is no mean achievement in the Indian zoo context! It is time we recognise these facts! Patna Zoo is also the proponent for developing the Indian rhino breeding programme. Guwahati Zoo will be the studbook holder, being in situ to Kaziranga and the conservation breeding center for the species. Both Patna Zoo, Kanpur and Delhi Zoos are participants. Patna Zoo is currently looking at supplying some other Indian zoos with unrelated breeding pairs in an effort to stimulate breeding (as most zoos keep single males and the population is somewhat skewed on that front).
Thanks Jelle, what I'm trying to understand now is that everyone seems familiar with the rarity of females I'm not in touch with Indian Rhino births... is it that most captive births were male?
The preponderance of male births has been suggested, but I have yet to see complete evidence to that effect. Indian rhinos are held in widely varying captive management environments and so results are difficult to interpret. I suppose the Basel Zoo species coordinator has more on the issue. I will try and find out for sure (after editing my own data and looking at the studbook births at each frequent breeder establishment).
According to this report Patna zoo now keeps 5.7 Indian rhino, this is a feature on the latest rhino birth, which the dumb reporter or his producer constantly refers to as a hippo!!!!!!!!!
The reporting is obviously testament to the not so rare fact that reporters get their facts wrong when they publish on zoo matters or recent developments. Coming back on topic though: thankfully the new calf for Hartali is a female once more. It is a welcome addition to the heavily skewed sex ratio of Indian rhinos in Indian zoos!!! Alas no news yet on the proposed transfers within the Indian zoo community from Patna (which would make up at least 2 more potential pairings). I will try and follow it up with the local zoo managers. (in all fairness this is only an issue in its prime range state ...., as both the European EEP and North American SSP tally is well in favour of the girls)
Current status is 5.7 rhinos at Patna Zoo. As per some of the latest newspaper clippings 3 female rhinos are pregnant with 1 female bred by the new male from Delhi Zoo (thus introducing a 4th bloodline into Patna Zoo). These births are expected between July-October 2011. Further to transfers: Sepihijala Zoo is expected to receive a female rhino from Patna Zoo. Not sure when the transfer will get the go-ahead from CZA Central Committee.
Patna Zoo provided one of the most satisfying animal videos I have ever taken during the Indian Zoo Inquiry project : a baby rhino suckling a mother. This sequence was shot for nearly twenty minutes without interruption. I read in a news item they have received some rhinos from San Diego and are in agreements with Singapore Zoo. Patna Zoo had some other rare animals : several Clouded Leopards that bred well. Last time I saw only one. Also a Golden Cat. Most interestingly they had a colony of Golden Langurs that has largely gone unnoticed principally because they were said to have been obtained from Mir Shikar Toli, an illegal wildlife market in Patna. A stalwart forest officer from Bihar named S P Shahi wrote on this place in a book called 'Backs To The Wall.' They also had a unique exercise : a keeper named Ram Pyare used to play with the tigers, John Aspinall style. He even used to take out a white tiger named Rinki out of the cage in the morning to the zoo canteen during his breakfast. He has been extensively covered in the Indian media.
Animals in city zoo find a surrogate parent [Patna] 0 Comments | Times of India, The, Feb 28, 2009 | by Kumar, Madhuri Animals in city zoo find a surrogate parent [Patna] | Times of India, The Newspaper | Find Articles at BNET
1) What link to Singapore Zoo are you referring too? Is this in terms of Indian rhinos or .... anything other? 2) Patna Zoo has good management of Indian rhinos, but is not the studbook keeper for the species. The current set up is Assam State Zoo, Kanpur Zoo and the National Zoo, New Delhi + Patna Zoo. 3) In terms of Indian rhino sex ratios: it would be helpful to set up an exchange of males for females with European zoos. This in tandem with sound advice re. more amenable exhibit designs for Indian rhino and the India programme would be sailing on its way.
These articles : Patna Zoo to see 3 rhino births soon - Patna - City - The Times of India Patna Zoo to see 3 rhino births soon Pooja Kashyap, TNN, May 25, 2010, 07.34am IST Patnaites' lack of civic sense irks Singapore official - The Times of India
I look forward to the Singapore Zoo becoming more involved in India. It would be a in-direct link between EAZA/SSP and the Indian region. The zoo is particularly good on landscaping ... Singapore Zoo has just had a new - proven - female rhino imported ex SSP. I would expect good tidings there too. Peculiar, that in the first newspaper feature ... the gestation period is put at 18 months ...
