Assam zoo black panthers for Ambani's Jamnagar zoo

GUWAHATI: After 40 long years Guwahati zoo will have two pairs of zebra from Israel, which will be shipped in by Reliance-owned Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Kingdom at Jamnagar in Gujarat in exchange for two black panthers from here.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) The Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden Tejas Mariswamy said that the state zoo is the only breeding centre of Black Panther in the country.
“Under this exchange programme with Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Kingdom, a pair of black panthers have already been sent in January—under approval of the Central Zoo Authority like any other such exchange of animals between zoos in India,” Mariswamy.
He said that several zoos want black panthers bred in Guwahati zoo. “Last year we exchanged a black panther with Mysore zoo for an ostrich and before that exchanged another black panther with a giraffe in Ranchi zoo.
“We are constructing the enclosure for the zebra enclosure and we are expecting the zebras from Zoological Centre Tel-Aviv Ramat-Gan in Israel by April. Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Kingdom has taken the responsibility of transporting the animal to here. We will have zebras here after 40 years. We want to bring more and more exotic animals,” Mariswamy added.
In the last exchange of animals between zoos, Guwahati recently received a pair of Hoolock Gibbons from the Aizawl zoo in exchange for a tiger, which will sent as soon after the tiger enclosure in the Aizawl zoo is constructed.