With the detection of bird flu in Bishalgarh, the Shipaijala Sanctuary is taking all measures to prevent any outbreak of the H5N1 virus. As a preventative step the authorities have sent blood samples of birds from the sanctuary yesterday for testing. Culling operation was on in full swing and all birds within a periphery of 5 KM of the affected area were being culled, except those in the sanctuary. According to an Animal Resource Department official, the Shipaijala Sanctuary inmates do not fall under the culling operation as it has many rare species.

The city zoo has a richer representation of the animal planet

The water body signifying the Indian ocean which was earlier designed to run through the zoo has been excluded from the plan The Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan, Byculla, presented its altered zoo makeover map on Monday, while announcing that tenders would be floated in just two months for the same and the work will kick off soon. The new plan has now been "designed around the trees, without harming any vegetation more than 4 ft in height', according to Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Gardens) V B Pawar.

With the requisite expertise and manpower at its disposal, the State Zoo is toying with the idea of going for a scientific elephant enclosure that would not only help in managing the tuskers in captivity efficiently, but would also give the opportunity to the visitors to get a better look at the majestic creature.

Researchers from Cleveland metroparks zoo have discovered a rare giant turtle in northern Vietnam. Swinhoe's soft-shell turtle was previously thought to be extinct in the wild. Three other turtles of the species are in captivity, said experts from the zoo. "This is one of those mythical species that people always talked about but no one ever saw,' said Geoff Hall, zoo general curator.

Sisi slowly browses through the yellow pages, looking not for a phone number but for peanuts and sunflower seeds hidden in the directory. Mali plays with a block of ice containing apples and oranges, crushing it with her feet to get at the fruit. Sisi, a 23-yearold orangutan, and Mali, a 33-year-old elephant, are two of the mammals and birds undergoing behavioral therapy at Manila zoo as part of a program to combat the stress and boredom of living in captivity.

For a species classified as critically endangered, Gavialis gangeticus, or the gharial, has had it good over the years at Patna zoo. From just 11 in 2002, there are now over 130 gharials in the zoo, officially called the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park. And the number is only set to grow.

VICTORIA'S zoo operator has lashed out at a $220 million plan to expand the Werribee Open Range Zoo, claiming it would put the animals' wellbeing at risk. Zoos Victoria's chairman, Andrew Fairley, said the proposal, which he feared would turn control of the wildlife over to entertainment giant Village Roadshow, "could seriously compromise" the welfare of the animals.

Alipurduar, March 24: The forest department has decided to shift three adult female elephants to Jaldapara from Alipore Zoo, where an equal number of calves will be brought from Holong pilkhana.

Zoo officials in Rajkot were ecstatic last month when their lion couple Mauj and Masti gave birth to five cubs. And now they have one more reason to rejoice.