AGARTALA, June 30 (TIWN): On it’s another momentum for the Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary the State Forest Department had managed to bring one pair of clouded leopards from Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), Kaziranga in Assam, recently.

Talking to TIWN, Director of Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary KG Roy informed that the pair of clouded leopards was brought from CWRC to the Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary after getting approval from the Central Zoo Authority. The Authority of the Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary was asked to bring these leopards seven months ago, added.

Roy further stated that among the pair of common leopards, one is male, aged about 14-year and another is female of 5-year.

“We have adopted these pair of clouded leopards to strengthen the genetic of the species. We also exchange species in a bid to attract more tourists to its sprawling zoo”, said Director of Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary K.G. Roy.

Further, Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary of the state and Bannerghatta Zoo and National Park in Bengaluru will soon exchange animals, said Roy.

As per report, three Spectacled Langoors, three Pig Tailed Macaques and a pair of Himalayan Black Bear were in the list of Sepahijala Sanctuary which would be sent to Bannerghatta, near Bengaluru. Besides, in return the Sepahijala Sanctuary would get a pair of Lion, a pair of Sambar Deer, a pair of Porcupine and three Blackbucks.

Veterinary Surgeon Dr. Keshab Debnath along with his team will visit Bengaluru in next few days to examine the mentioned animals over there. The animals will be transported by road, said K.G. Roy, Director of Sepahijala Wild Life Sanctuary to TIWN.

Roy further added that the exchanges will be completed by the end of this month. Both the zoos have received clearance from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) of the Union Government.

As per report, last year, Visakhapatnam's Indira Gandhi Zoological Park and the Sepahijala Zoo had also exchanged animals.

However it is worthy to mention that the aim of the Sanctuary is to precisely bred, physically, genetically and behaviourally health animals to be retained as a viable population and insurance cover against population loss in the wild, to save them from the brink of extinction with the Conservation Breeding Programme at Sepahijala Zella Parishad which is initiated in the year 2011.

Karnataka's Bannerghatta National Park was founded in 1971 and declared as a national park in 1974. In 2002 a portion of the park, became a biological reserve. The 25,000 acre national park is located about 22 km south of Bangalore in the hills of the Anekal range with an elevation of 1245 - 1634m.

Sepahijala Zoo, 25 kilometres from the state capital, is one of India's 22 large zoos.

This is the only zoo in India located within a wildlife sanctuary. A portion of the sanctuary was also declared Clouded Leopard National Park. It is woodland with an artificial lake and natural botanical and zoological gardens. The sanctuary has been developed both as a wildlife sanctuary and as an academic and research centre.