38 exotic birds, animals died at zoological park in the Statue of Unity complex in 2 years

More than Rs 4 lakh has been spent on such exotic birds and animals in the last two years, as per the details shared.

Of the five alpacas procured, three died, while one of the four wallabys died. Four sun conures, three green-cheeked conures, seven blue pheasants, three silver pheasants (out of the nine procured), three red-billed toucans (out of the four procured), three thiamin deer (out of the five procured), three squirrel monkeys (out of the eight procured) and one marsh crocodile (out of the six procured) were among other animals that died.

In March 2023, the Gujarat government had said that 12 exotic animals and birds had died between February 1, 2021, and January 31, 2023, at the zoological park. A total of 940 animals and birds were inhabited at the jungle safari in these two years. Even as the reasons for such deaths were not elaborated in the statement on Tuesday, the reasons cited in March 2023 were majorly respiratory arrest, and cardio-pulmonary arrest.

The Sardar Patel Zoological Park and the Geodesic Aviary Dome in the Statue of Unity complex was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 30, 2020. Even much before its inauguration, the zoological park had attracted criticism over the deaths of exotic animals due to alleged neglect in their translocation from abroad.