Baby boom at Vizag zoo: Wolves, wild dogs, hyena among new births this summer

Visakhapatnam: The nursery corners of the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park have turned unusually busy this summer. Over the past few weeks, the zoo has recorded the birth of several animals and birds, including Indian grey wolves, Asiatic wild dogs, a striped hyena, spotted deer, a barking deer, a marmoset, and a range of avian species. Officials say the births are a boost to the zoo’s ongoing conservation breeding programme.

For visitors walking through the zoo this season, the newest inhabitants are already drawing crowds near the enclosures. The young animals are most often seen during feeding hours, when they briefly emerge beside their watchful mothers.

Zoo curators said the Indian grey wolf and Asiatic wild dog litters are especially significant, as both species are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act and face habitat pressure in the wild. The birth of a striped hyena pup is also rare in captivity.

“Successful births show that our enclosure design, diet, and care protocols are working,” a zoo official said. “The goal is to maintain healthy captive populations that can support education and future conservation work.”

The marmoset birth adds to the zoo’s primate collection, while the deer fawns and new birds help sustain genetically diverse groups. Staff are monitoring the newborns closely. Most will remain off public display until they are older, but visitors can catch glimpses in designated viewing areas.