KamAla Nehru Zoological Park at Kankaria in Ahmedabad is home to many species of birds that are on the verge of extinction. Nicobar Pigeon is just one of them.

The Nicobar Pigeon falls under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Only a thousand of these birds are found in the wild today. Kankaria Zoo has 17 of them. The pigeons bred here are sent to other zoos in the country. Already, four pigeons have been sent to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology at Hyderabad, six to Nadankanan Zoo in Orissa, four to Shakarbaug Zoo in Junagadh and two to Indroda Park in Gandhinagar.

“We have two pairs of Nicobar Pigeons here. They belong to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, but have been breeding here for many years. Although we cannot provide them with the wild food and atmosphere of Nicobar forests, they are comfortably staying here,” said Dr R K Sahu, superintendent of the zoo.

Sahu added that breeding of birds is not as easy as compared to animals. Therefore, the zoo makes it sure that the birds get a suitable nesting atmosphere. Some birds like high nests while some are comfortable on the ground. Even accommodating birds of the same sex can be counter-productive, as sometimes they break each other’s eggs.

The birds feed on fruits, soaked grains and chopped greens. They breed once a year and lay only one egg. The incubation period is about 30-40 days. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has sanctioned a fund of Rs 2 crore for the overall development of the zoo. In the last 10 years, the zoo has received almost over Rs 2 crore from the government.

... contd.