DAULAT RAM COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF DELHI

A REPORT
ON
“NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK”

SUBMITTED BY-
Name- Mahima
Course- B.Sc. (Hons) Zoology
University Roll no- 22014569027
 INTRODUCTION
In India, at the time of independence, there was no zoo in Delhi. The ‘Indian Board of
Wildlife (now National Board for Wildlife) which was constituted in 1951 laid stress on
establishment of zoos in larger cities of the country in its first meetingin 1952. With
more leisure hours of the increasing population, both resident and floating, and
increasing in flow of tourist, need of having a zoological Park at the National capital
was felt. The objective was to provide a healthy and inexpensive recreation. It was
also realized that conservation education can also be parted through zoo.

The Park was formally inaugurated on 1st November, 1959 by Mr Punjab Rao
Deshmukh, Hon’ble Minister, Government of India. This Park was initially known as
Delhi Zoo. In the year 1982 it was given the status of the National Zoological Park
with the idea of it being the model zoo of the country.

Zoological parks in India are unique ecosystems that provide numerous services of
local and National significance. Apart from their primary function in education and
research, many Zoos, serve as natural habitats for free-ranging animals. Moreover,
such parks are sources of Carbon sequestration, air purification, water purification,
noise attenuation, etc. The National Zoological Park, New Delhi, is one such park
spread across 176 acres, overlooking the Cultural landscape of the Old Fort. The
zoo is home to several species of mammals, birds, And reptiles from around the
world. As of 2018, there are 40 species of endangered animals Under Schedule I
and II categories; 35 species of animals under Schedule III and IV Categories; and
29 species of exotic animals as specified under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act,
1972. Apart from enclosures for wild animals and administrative buildings, The zoo
sustains a natural environment in its campus which provides habitat for several free-
Ranging floral and faunal species.

Millions of people, all over world visit Zoo. They come to Zoo because they have an
interest in animal in one way or another. Zoo visitors form target audience for
informal education. However, students may be considered as main target population.
In addition to this, other target groups can also be reached through outreach
program. Zoo Education is a holistic discipline, targeted at zoo visitors, staff and
wider community. National Zoological Park attracts 1.7 million visitors from
diversified education, economic and cultural background. They belong to all age
groups. On any working day, 3000 to 4000 visitors visit the Zoo and this number
increases to 15 to 20 thousand on weekends. According to a survey they spend, on
an average two to three hours in the park. NZP has about 5591 trees belonging to
125 species.
WOLF (CANNIS LUPUS PALLIPIS)

The Indian wolf is similar in structure to the Eurasian wolf, but is smaller, more
slightly built, and has shorter fur with little to no underfur. It is typically around 57–72
cm at shoulder height, with males ranging from 19 to 25 kg and females 17–22 kg in
weight. Its length ranges from 103 to 145 cm (41–57 in) from nose to tail.
Like the Arabian wolf, it has short, thin fur in summer, though the hair on the back
remains long even in summer, an adaptation thought to be against solar radiation.
The fur is generally greyish-red to reddish-white with grey tones. The hairs are
grizzled with black, particularly on the back, which sports a dark V-shaped patch
around the shoulders.
Its habits are similar to those of other grey wolf subspecies, though the Indian wolf
generally lives in smaller packs rarely exceeding 6-8 individuals, and is relatively less
vocal,[6] having rarely been known to howl.
Indian wolf vocalization includes howls, howl-barks, whimper, social squeals, and
whines with howls an average fundamental frequency of 422 Hz and whines 906 Hz.
There is at least one record of a lone wolf associating with a pair of dholes in
Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary.
It tends to breed from mid-October to late December, and whelp in holes or ravines.
In recent years, the wolf has been facing an additional set of threats. Conversion of
forests to agricultural fields has shrunk its hunting ground, reducing wild prey. As a
result, the wolves are forced to feed on livestock near villages, increasing human-
wolf conflicts and threatening its long-term survival.
Currently, 2000–3000 Indian grey wolves survive in India, mainly in Rajasthan,
Maharashtra, and Karnataka. They occupy grasslands, scrublands and agro-forestry
landscapes. It is also seen in West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand, but not much is
known about its distribution there.
Conservation policies in India are focused on protected areas with an emphasis on
larger mammals such as tiger, leopard and elephants. Besides, protected areas and
non-protected areas are managed differently with different aims.
The Indian grey wolf is a top predator in areas with hot and semi-dry conditions.
Found mainly outside the protected area networks, it needs immediate attention.

SWAMP DEER (CERVUS DUVAUCELI)

The barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii), also known as the swamp deer, is

a deer species distributed in the Indian subcontinent. Populations
in northern and central India are fragmented, and two isolated populations occur in
southwestern Nepal. It has been extirpated in Pakistan and Bangladesh, and its
presence is uncertain in Bhutan.[1]
The swamp deer differs from all other Indian deer species in that the antlers carry
more than three tines. Because of this distinctive character it is designated bārah-
singgā, meaning "twelve-horned" in Hindi. Mature stags usually have 10 to 14 tines,
and some have been known to have upto 20.
Characteristics
The barasingha is a large deer with a shoulder height of 44 to 46 in (110 to 120 cm)
and a head-to-body length of nearly 6 ft (180 cm). Its hair is rather woolly and
yellowish brown above but paler below, with white spots along the spine. The throat,
belly, inside of the thighs and beneath the tail is white. In summer, the coat becomes
bright rufous-brown. The neck is maned. Females are paler than males. Young are
spotted. Average antlers measure 30 in (76 cm) round the curve with a girth of 5 in
(13 cm) at mid beam. A record antler measured 104.1 cm (41.0 in) round the curve.
Stags weigh 170 to 280 kg (370 to 620 lb). Females are less heavy, weighing about
130 to 145 kg (287 to 320 lb). Large stags have weighed from 460 to 570 lb (210 to
260 kg).

Distribution and habitat

In the 19th century, swamp deer ranged along the base of the Himalayas from
Upper Assam to the west of the Yamuna River, throughout Assam, in a few places in
the Indo-Gangetic plain from the Eastern Sundarbans to Upper Sind, and locally
throughout the area between the Ganges and Godavari as far east as Mandla.
Today, the distribution is much reduced and fragmented due to major losses in the
1930s–1960s following unregulated hunting and conversion of large tracts of
grassland to cropland. Swamp deer occur in the Kanha National Park of Madhya
Pradesh, in two localities in Assam, and in only 6 localities in Uttar Pradesh. They
are regionally extinct in West Bengal.  A few survive in
Assam's Kaziranga and Manas National Parks. In 2005, a small population of about
320 individuals was discovered in the Jhilmil Jheel Conservation Reserve
in Haridwar district in Uttarakhand on the east bank of the Ganges. This represents
the northern limit of the species.

LION

The Asiatic lion, also known as the Persian lion. is a population of Panthera leo

leo that today survives in the wild only in India.[3] Since the turn of the 20th century,
its range has been restricted to Gir National Park and the surrounding areas in the
Indian state of Gujarat. Historically, it inhabited much of southwest Asia to northern
India.
Characteristics

The Asiatic lion's fur ranges in colour from ruddy-tawny, heavily speckled with black,
to sandy or buffish grey. Males have only moderate mane growth at the top of the
head, so that their ears are always visible. About half of Asiatic lions' skulls from the
Gir forest have divided infraorbital foramina, whereas African lions have only one
foramen on either side. Skull length in adult males ranges from 330–340 mm (13–
13+1⁄2 in), and in females, from 292–302 mm (11+1⁄2–11+7⁄8 in). It differs from the
African lion by a larger tail. The most striking morphological character of the Asiatic
lion is a longitudinal fold of skin running along its belly. Two lions in Gir Forest
measured 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) from head to body with a 0.79–0.89 m (31–35 in) long tail
of and total lengths of 2.82–2.87 m (9 ft 3 in – 9 ft 5 in). The Gir lion is similar in size
to the Central African lion,[9] and smaller than large African lions.[38] An adult male
Asiatic lion weighs 160.1 kg (353 lb) on average with the limit being 190 kg (420 lb);
a wild female weighs 100 to 130 kg (220 to 285 lb).

Habitat and Distribution

In Saurashtra's Gir Forest, an area of 1,412.1 km2 (545.2 sq mi) was declared as a
sanctuary for Asiatic lion conservation in 1965.
Lions inhabit remnant forest habitats in the two hill systems of Gir and Girnar that
comprise Gujarat's largest tracts of tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf
forests, thorny forest and savanna, and provide valuable habitat for a diverse flora
and fauna. Five protected areas currently exist to protect the Asiatic lion: Gir
Sanctuary, Gir National Park, Pania Sanctuary, Mitiyala Sanctuary, and Girnar
Sanctuary. The first three protected areas form the Gir Conservation Area.
The lion population recovered from the brink of extinction to 411 individuals by 2010.
In that year, approximately 105 lions lived outside the Gir forest, representing a
quarter of the entire lion population. Dispersing sub-adults established new territories
outside their natal prides, and as a result the satellite lion population has been
increasing since 1995.[10] By 2015, the total population had grown to an estimated
523 individuals, inhabiting an area of 7,000 km2 (2,700 sq mi) in the Saurashtra
region.The Asiatic Lion Census conducted in 2017 revealed about 650 individuals.
By 2020, at least six satellite populations had spread to eight districts in Gujarat and
live in human-dominated areas outside the protected area network.

ASIAN PALM CIVET

The Asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus), also called common palm
civet, toddy cat and musang, is a viverrid native to South and Southeast Asia.
Since 2008, it is IUCN Red Listed as Least Concern as it accommodates to a broad
range of habitats. It is widely distributed with large populations that in 2008 were
thought unlikely to be declining. In Indonesia, it is threatened by poaching and illegal
wildlife trade; buyers use it for the increasing production of kopi luwak.
Characteristics
The Asian palm civet's long, stocky body is covered with coarse, shaggy hair that is
usually greyish in colour. It has a white mask across the forehead, a small white
patch under each eye, a white spot on each side of the nostrils, and a narrow dark
line between the eyes. The muzzle, ears, lower legs, and distal half of the tail are
black, with three rows of black markings on the body. Its head-to-body length is
about 53 cm (21 in) with a 48 cm (19 in) long unringed tail. It weighs 2 to 5 kg (4 to
11 lb). Its anal scent glands emit a nauseating secretion as a chemical defense when
threatened or upset.
Distribution
Asian palm civet is native to India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri
Lanka, Thailand, Singapore, Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei
Darussalam, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, the Philippines, and
the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Bawean, and Siberut. It was
introduced to Irian Jaya, the Lesser Sunda Islands, Maluku, and Sulawesi. Its
presence in Papua New Guinea is uncertain.It usually inhabits primary forests, but
also occurs at lower densities in secondary and selectively logged forest.It is also
present in parks and suburban gardens with mature fruit trees, fig trees, and
undisturbed vegetation. Its sharp claws allow climbing of trees and house gutters. In
most parts of Sri Lanka, palm civets are considered a nuisance since they litter in
ceilings and attics of common households, and make loud noises fighting and
moving about at night.