Key Points
Female ostrich Avantika laid 11 eggs with one successful hatching in captivity
The baby ostrich has become a major attraction for tourists. A large number of visitors are arriving at the zoo to see the baby. The baby ostrich is being specially cared for here.
Assistant Conservator of Forests Prachi Chaudhary explained the significance of the event: "Ostrich is a native of Africa, and its habitat also differs. Now, after acclimatising the climatic conditions in the habitat of Jaipur and providing proper breeding facilities, after incubation techniques, 11 eggs were laid on the day of Holi, and the hatching of 1 egg was successful."
She also reflected on previous efforts, noting, "Last time, it also laid eggs in March-June 2022. But their hatching was not successful. So this is a symbol of very positive success, and it is being considered an achievement."
Looking forward, Chaudhary discussed future plans for the zoo. "It is also proposed that an aviary be built on a broad level in the zoo in the future," she said. This would support the long-term goals of conservation and help facilitate better breeding conditions for the ostriches.
Prachi mentioned that CCTV cameras are being used to monitor the ostrich and the chick. Captive breeding of ostriches is rare and requires special conditions and care.
The success of the ostrich egg hatching is part of the zoo's broader ex-situ conservation efforts. "The purpose of ex-situ conservation of captive breeding is that we can conserve them, which is definitely a positive initiative in the direction of biodiversity conservation," Chaudhary added.
