Panaji: Goa’s only zoo, at Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, has recorded births of five species under its conservation breeding programme so far this year.The births include a female sambar deer on Jan 16, a female blackbuck on Feb 2, a female spotted deer on March 4, a male gaur calf on April 4, and a jackal pup on April 23.The additions take the number of animals born under Bondla’s conservation breeding programme to 25 over the past two years.Deputy conservator of forests (North) Jiss Varkey attributed the success to the zoo’s ex-situ conservation breeding programme for select species. Ex-situ conservation involves protecting and managing endangered animals outside their natural habitats, including in zoos.“We are already part of the ex-situ conservation breeding programme for species such as the gaur. After the approval by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) for the Bondla zoo master plan, we intensified the programme. Recording 25 births in two years is an attractive figure for a small zoo like Bondla,” Varkey said.He said maintaining genetic diversity remains a major challenge.“The biggest difficulty is avoiding inbreeding depression. When closely related animals breed, the survival of the offspring becomes difficult. The zoo management therefore regularly rotates animals to maintain healthy bloodlines,” he said.Bondla has also recorded steady breeding success among blackbucks, which officials attributed to two dominant breeding males and a healthy captive population.Varkey said the programme is expected to strengthen Bondla’s role in the national zoo network by enabling animal exchanges with other recognised zoos through the CZA.“There is considerable interest from other zoos in acquiring new bloodlines, especially gaur females and compatible breeding pairs,” he said.Bondla is also looking to expand its conservation programme by acquiring species from other zoos, with the forest department exploring the possibility of bringing in sloth bears.“The sloth bear enclosure is built as per CZA standards. We are ready to welcome a pair as soon as we successfully exchange our animals for them from a reputed zoo,” Varkey said.
