Panaji: Four years after Goa upgraded its sloth bear enclosure to meet Central Zoo Authority (CZA) standards, the state may be on the verge of welcoming the species to its only zoo at the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary.The spacious enclosure, completed in 2022 as part of efforts to modernise the zoo’s animal exhibits, has remained vacant while authorities pursued approvals for acquiring sloth bears through inter-zoo animal exchange programmes.Sources from the forest department confirmed that proposals involving zoos in Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Pune have already received state govt approval and have been forwarded to the Central Zoo Authority for technical clearance.Among the proposals, a zoo in Chhattisgarh has offered Goa a pair of sloth bears in return for a pair of gaurs. If approved by the CZA, it would populate the upgraded enclosure that has remained unoccupied for four years.Sources said another proposal involves Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park and Wildlife Research Center, Pune, which has offered black barking deer in exchange for a female gaur, while a newly established zoo in Jammu has sought a female gaur and offered a pair of civet cats.However, officials are less enthusiastic about the Jammu proposal, noting that civet cats are common in Goa and are not considered a priority species for the zoo.“We would not advocate taking such a common animal unless it is an endangered species,” an official said, adding that civets are frequently sighted even around Panaji.The request from Jammu for a gaur has also raised practical concerns. Wildlife officials believe the tropical bovine may not adapt well to Jammu’s colder winters.“A gaur requires bright sunlight and warmer conditions. It may not withstand the cold there. A hardier mountain species would be better suited to the region,” the official said.Bondla’s zoo currently houses around a dozen gaur, giving it sufficient numbers to participate in exchange programmes without affecting its own population.Sources said the proposals are now awaiting scrutiny by the Central Zoo Authority’s technical committee. Only after the CZA grants approval can the exchanges be carried out.
