New Delhi, Oct 9 (IANS): Union Minister of State for Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) Ashwini Kumar Choubey released a Black kite fitted with a satellite tag to mark the valedictory ceremony of the Wildlife Week that concluded on Friday.
The Black kite is fitted with a satellite tag for research purposes being undertaken by the Wildlife Institute of India. The data will help understand the migratory patterns for the species, a release from the Ministry said.
The event under the theme of Conservation Collective was held at the National Zoological Park, Delhi, the only zoo directly under the MoEF&CC.
The Minister also visited the enclosures of the new entrants, including tigers and lions, at the Delhi zoo during the event.
He also visited the new arrivals three sub-adult Asiatic lions, one male and two females that have been received from Sakkarbaug Zoological Park, Gujarat.
Choubey named the two females as Maha Gowri & Shailja and the male as Maheshwar coinciding with the occasion of Navaratri.
He planted a native species of Gujarat Gir landscape, Kanak Champa (Pterospermum acerifolium), near the lion enclosure.
Choubey visited the enclosure wherein the two female tigresses, approximately four-year-old have been brought in from the Wildlife Rescue Centre, Gorewada at Nagpur.
Earlier, these were rescued from Brahmapuri forest division in Chandrapur district and now, shall support the Conservation Breeding Programme for Bengal tigers at the Delhi Zoo. Minister named the tigresses as Aditi and Siddhi.
Two Sloth bears, a three-year-old male, and a two-year-old female have also been received from WRC, Gorewada and one female Chausinga, one lady Amherst's pheasant and three Red Eared sliders have also been received as part of the exchange from Shakkarbaug Zoological Park, Gujarat.
Delhi zoo is spread across 188 acres and supports over 200 varieties of trees, 95 species with 1,200 individuals of animal species in large scientifically designed enclosures making it truly the green lungs for the national capital.