Vizag zoo announces birth of chowsingha, macaws, blackbuck

Visakhapatnam, Sep 7 (PTI) The Indira Gandhi Zoological Park in Visakhapatnam district has reported the birth of seven animals across different species, including chowsingha (four-horned antelope), blue-gold macaws, and blackbuck, an official said on Sunday.

Zoo curator G Mangamma said a male and a female chowsingha, along with two blue-gold macaw chicks and three blackbuck calves, were successfully bred at the facility.

“With the birth of these rare and protected species, our conservation breeding programme has achieved a significant milestone,” Mangamma said in a statement.

Officials noted that the chowsingha, listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, successfully bred after two years without births.

Veterinary teams led by Dr P Bhanu ensured secure habitats, proper nutrition, and timely immunisation for the newborns, while the macaws were incubated in controlled conditions before being hand-reared.

Officials said the births highlight the zoo’s commitment to species conservation, public awareness, and the advancement of modern zoological practices in India. PTI MS SSK