new delhi the national zoological park is planning to offer its excess herbivores including deer species to the neighbouring states for rewilding while rajasthan government has already been contacted zoo officials say they may also approach delhi government on introducing wildlife into parts of the ridge the zoo has also requested the transfer of tigers and sloth bears from the gorewada rescue centre in nagpurramesh pandey director of delhi zoo told toi that apart from deer nilgai black buck and spotted deer other animals could also be provided for rewilding we generally exchange excess animals with other zoological parks we have already approached rajasthan and will write to delhi government officials soon if required freeranging birds such as the painted stork can also be released said pandeypandey also confirmed having written on march 13 to zoos in nainital bhopal and gorewada in nagpur for tigers and sloth bears ours is a participating zoo for conservation breeding of five species tigers lions onehorned rhinos sangai deer and red jungle fowl he said delhi zoo needs two tigers for conservation breeding and an equal number of sloth bears for display from gorewada in exchange the zoological park is ready to give sambars albino blackbucks blackbucks barking deer and a browantlered sangai deer painted stork and jackalsgorewada divisional manager pramod panchbhai corroborated that a proposal had arrived under the central zoo authoritys animal exchange programme currently nine tigers and four sloth bears rescued after humananimal conflict are kept at gorewada but since its a rescue centre rather than a zoo the state chief wildlife warden will have to give formal permission for the exchange of animals with cza taking the final calleven though fragmented the central southern and northern ridge areas too could be considered for rewilding besides officials at ddas tilpath valley biodiversity park have been looking to introduce herbivores in the nature reserve in the hope that they will automatically draw carnivorescr babu head of centre for environmental management of degraded ecosystems who has been working at tilpath valley said animals that have been in captivity for a long time might not be able to survive in the wild easily young deer however can adapt more quickly and regain their natural instincts while we sighted sambar deer in the park recently we are hoping to introduce chinkara and chital now