Hyderabad zoo to begin conservation breeding of Indian Wolf, Dhole, Gaur and Antelope

Hyderabad’s Nehru Zoological Park is set to expand its conservation breeding programmes to Indian Wolves, Dholes, Gaurs, Otters and Four-Horned Antelopes. Building on its mouse deer success, the zoo will seek CZA approval to scale up wildlife conservation efforts.

Hyderabad: With efforts reaping good results, the Nehru Zoological Park (NZP) has decided to take up conservation breeding programmes for Indian Smooth-Coated Otters, Indian Wolves, Indian Dholes, Indian Gaurs and Four-Horned Antelopes.

The zoo authorities, who are drafting the proposal, will approach the Central Zoo Authority of India (CZA) for approval, a senior official said.

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The NZP has already undertaken conservation breeding of mouse deer and vultures. The mouse deer conservation has been successful with the zoo reporting birth of around 550 mouse deer of which 264 were reintroduced into the wild and 74 were transferred to other zoos in animal exchange programmes. At present, the zoo has a mouse deer population of 129.

The zoo has also received 10 White-Backed and Long-Billed Vultures, and four Slender-Billed Vultures from the Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre, Haryana. For the first time, vulture breeding commenced with a founder stock of five White-Backed Vultures with two males and three females in 2010. Further, six vultures were brought from Sakkarbaug Zoo in Gujarat in 2014-15.

Unlike breeding of mouse deer, vulture breeding was a short-lived success after one egg that hatched into a chick died after 85 days due to a congenital defect.

In the past, the NZP bred Marsh Crocodiles and released them into the wild and has also successfully bred several endangered species, including Asiatic Lion, Royal Bengal Tiger, Rhinoceros, Elephants, Pythons, Jaguars and Baboons.

Major breeding in NZP

(Birth particulars for the year 2024-25)

Indian Muntjac/Barking Deer – 2
Black Buck – 14
Hog Deer – 8
Spotted Deer – 4
Painted Stork – 7
Indian Chevrotain/Mouse Deer – 16
Black-Headed Ibis – 4
White Tiger – 2
Sarus Crane – 1
Sambar Deer – 5
Nilgai – 6
Four-Horned Antelope/Chousingha – 1
Grey Pelican – 2
Wild Dog – 3
Chinkara – 2
Indian Gaur – 1

Birth particulars (April 1 to August 2025)

Indian Wolf -5
Northern Plains Grey Langur – 1
Indian Chevrotain/Mouse Deer – 9
Hog Deer – 2
Black Buck – 3
Golden Jackal – 3
Chinkara – 2
Indian Muntjac/Barking Deer – 1
Spotted Deer/Chital – 4
Asian Palm Civet – 1
White Tiger – 3
Bengal Tiger (Normal) – 3