Delhi zoo’s maiden attempt to breed ostriches has failed. The eggs laid in captivity by an ostrich — brought to the zoo from Thiruvananthapuram — have failed to hatch.
Zoo authorities cited changing weather and the unpredictable pattern of rainfall as the main reasons for the failed fertilisation process.
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“In the last three weeks, weather variations and unpredictable rainfall made the incubation process difficult. This was the main reason for the eggs not fertilising,” Riaz Khan, curator, National Zoological Park, said.
“Relative humidity of the surroundings plays a very critical role in the final stages of incubation. Because of variations in rainfall levels, the fluctuation in humidity was very high. And controlling humidity levels… became very tough due to which the fertilisation failed,” Khan said.
The ostrich had laid approximately nine eggs in June. According to zoo authorities, the process of hatching was in the final stages.
Khan ruled out bacterial infection of the eggs.
“Round-the-clock monitoring was done as far as the contamination of eggs is concerned. We rule out any possibility of bacterial infection,” the official said.
The zoo had constructed a special incubator room for the hatching process.
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“The shelter area was developed keeping in view the special requirements for the hatching and incubation of the eggs,” Khan said.
According to the official, the room was sufficiently ventilated. “Ventilation is key for embryo development. Thus, sufficient air flow was ensured,” Khan said.
The room was also cleaned on a regular basis — as contamination can harm eggs — and no visitor was allowed to enter the premises.
A special diet was also given to the ostrich before it laid the eggs. “The mineral and vitamin content of the eggs depend upon the diet given to the ostrich,” Khan said. “A diet rich in calcium and important vitamins was given.”
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The plan to give birth to ostriches was one of the zoo’s many initiatives to increase its diverse population.
Kaunain Sheriff M is an award-winning investigative journalist and the National Health Editor at The Indian Express. He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, an investigation into one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical companies.
With over a decade of experience, Kaunain brings deep expertise in three areas of investigative journalism: law, health, and data. He currently leads The Indian Express newsroom’s in-depth coverage of health.
His work has earned some of the most prestigious honours in journalism, including the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism, the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) Award, and the Mumbai Press Club’s Red Ink Award.
Kaunain has also collaborated on major global investigations. He was part of the Implant Files project with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which exposed malpractices in the medical device industry across the world. He also contributed to an international investigation that uncovered how a Chinese big-data firm was monitoring thousands of prominent Indian individuals and institutions in real time.
Over the years, he has reported on several high-profile criminal trials, including the Hashimpura massacre, the 2G spectrum scam, and the coal block allocation case. Within The Indian Express, he has been honoured three times with the Indian Express Excellence Award for his investigations—on the anti-Sikh riots, the Vyapam exam scam, and the abuse of the National Security Act in Uttar Pradesh. ... Read More
