Fourteen Species of Animals & Birds Give Birth to Young Ones at Pilikula Biological Park in Mangalore

There is a baby boom at Pilikula Biological Park in Mangalore with many species of animals under captivity giving birth to young ones during the past one month.

Park Director H. Jayaprakash Bhandary informed that five Wild Dog, three babies each of Mouse Deer and Golden Jackal, and five young ones of Blackbuck were born during the period. With this, the stocks of Wild Dog in the park has reached 17, Mouse Deer to nine, Golden Jackal to 37, and Blackbuck to 56. The Stripped Hyena (Hyaena hyaena), which has been listed as a ‘Nearly Threatened’ species by the IUCN gave birth to two cubs with their stock reaching to 10.Other animals that gave birth. Wild dog (Cuon alpinus), Mouse Deer (Tragulus javanicus), Golden Jackal (Canis aureus) and Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra), which have been listed as endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The other animals that gave birth to young ones are Red Handed Tamarin (Saguinus midas – two young ones); Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus – four); Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious – one); Sambar Deer (Rusa unicolor – four); Spotted Deer (Axis axis – 10); Barking Deer (Muntiacus muntjak – two), and Marsh Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris – five).

The red-handed tamarin introduced at the park a year ago is a ‘New World’ monkey. It is native to Brazil and Venezulea. The life expectancy is 10 years, and it lives in groups of 15 members. Gestation period is four-and-a-half months to five-and-a-half months. The female gives birth to two offspring.