(IN) Unique species find home in Meghalaya zoo

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Link: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080612/jsp/northeast/story_9396984.jsp

 

 

Unique species find home in Meghalaya zoo

- Theme park to come up at Umtriew in Ri Bhoi district at a cost of over Rs

8 crore

 

OUR CORRESPONDENT

 

Shillong, June 11: Ever heard of a serow? Or, wondered where you could see a

clouded leopard or a golden cat?

 

Now you don't have to hunt through books or the Internet to learn about the

antelope-like animal which is unique to Meghalaya or the members of the cat

family. Just pack you lunch boxes and head for Umtriew with your family.

 

Meghalaya will soon have a " theme zoo " — the only full-fledged zoo in the

state — at Umtriew in Ri Bhoi district to house all animals unique to the

Northeast. The Lady Hydari Park in Shillong has an animal park with limited

facilities, but cannot be called a zoo.

 

At present, animal lovers have to travel to Guwahati for a visit to the zoo.

 

" We will not bring any animals and birds which do not suit the conditions of

Meghalaya's fauna to the zoo, " principal chief conservator of forest V.K.

Nautiyal said.

 

The state government has acquired 74.31 hectares at Umtriew — 30km from

Shillong — and the construction of the zoo will commence soon. The zoo will

cost the state around Rs 8.36 crore.

 

A natural and perennial stream is running through the site of the new zoo,

which will be an added attraction to the visitors.

 

The zoo will house endangered and rare species like the serow, clouded

leopard, golden cat, leopard cat, jungle cat, large Indian civet, bear cat,

Himalayan black bear and pangolins.

 

Some exotic birds found in the region like the great Indian hornbill,

red-vented bulbul, Himalayan black bulbul, Himalayan whistling thrush will

also be seen at the zoo.

 

A member of the Central Zoo Authority of India, S.K. Patnaik, recently

visited the state and held a meeting with the state forest officials

regarding the setting up of the zoo.

 

Patnaik, who is the retired additional principal chief conservator of

forest, Orissa, had asked the state forest department to formulate a

masterplan of the zoo. He also gave the go-ahead to the department to begin

construction of a boundary wall at the site of the proposed zoo.

 

The Central Zoo Authority official also discussed ways and means to have a

better layout and landscaping in the proposed zoo.

 

The urgency to set up a full-fledged zoo in the state arose after the

Supreme Court and the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals asked the

state government to take measures to have a proper zoo for the animals and

birds housed at the Lady Hydari Park.

 

 

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