Saturday, April 02, 2011

Indian Subcontinent: The Mammals

The most diverse group of animals in this Orb are the herbatous grazers of the Deer and Antelope families.









In terms of commonly acknowledged endangered species the next three form a sort of trifecta for the Indian subcontinent--and in the world, a uniquely cared about single species--the Bengal Tiger. The presence of all three species is part of the broader mission of the zoo: to study, to understand, to support and to propagate.




To understand the place of the Tiger in this Orb is to acknowledge the animal's inherent predatory nature, as well as, it's need to be free to be. To this end, the Orb provides the largest dedicated space to any Tigers held in captivity in a zoological park with enclosed space in the world. Short of being allowed to roam freely in acres of open space, this structure gives the tigers a virtual realm of their own. It's one of the most intricate and elaborate environments in the zoo.













Among the primates in this orb, the decision was made to feature the Langur over the Macaque. More environmentally endangered, and less well studied, these species of the Langur ought to co-habitat well with the other animals in the Orb.




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