Tvm zoo gets new pythons, white peacocks

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: This Onam the city zoo will welcome eight new entrants. Four reticulated pythons and four white peacocks brought from Arignar Anna Zoological Park or Vandalur zoo near Chennai are the new admissions.
The animals were brought from Vandalur zoo in return for six hog deer and two pairs of rhea birds. "This is the first time we are having a reticulated python which is deemed to be the world's longest python.They are usually seen in Southeast Asia but it is rare in Kerala," said director of museum and zoo K Gangadharan.
The existing arrangements made for Indian rock python makes things easier for reticulated python as both live in similar conditions. While the albino peacocks or the white peacocks which got its colour due to lack of pigments in the plumage will require more care and attention, said zoo vet Dr Jacob Alexander.
"We could conduct this exchange programme because we have been successful in breeding hog deer at our zoo. Also, with good artificial incubation facilities, we were able to breed 50 young rhea birds of which 12 pairs are already exchanged with the zoos at Delhi, Thrissur and Chennai," he said.