Mangaluru : The Pilikula Biological Park has received a shot in the arm with the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) sanctioning Rs.3.4 crore to it for the maintenance of the zoo.

The financial assistance also covers the adoption of more than 1,200 mammals, reptiles and birds of 120 species by the MRPL, according to H. Jayaprakash Bhandary, director of the park.

The amount will be utilised for the feed and fodder for the animals and birds and maintaining their health, Mr. Bhandary said.

The MRPL and Dr. Shivarama Karantha Pilikula Nisargadhama signed a memorandum of understanding to this effect recently, he said.

The main objective of the park is conservation of biodiversity of the rare and endangered species of the Western Ghats.

The park, spread over 150 acres, is one of the large zoos in India. It is the only zoo in the country managed by a registered society. All other zoos are directly under the government. The zoo in Pilikula is being maintained through sponsorship from people and institutions since 2004. Mr. Bhandary told that the fund sanctioned by the MRPL will be for one-year maintenance effective from July 1, 2019.

He said the big cats like the tiger and lion need about 8 kg of meat and 2 kg of chicken a day. Their young ones require about 6 kg of meat 1.5 kg of chicken a day. In addition, the young ones are fed with supplementary food like eggs and chicken soup. Leopards are also being given about 6 kg of meat a day.

All of them are given meat and supplements, only six days a week. They are kept in starvation for a day. This is being done in view of digestion issues and to prevent obesity.

Mr. Bhandary said birds are fed with a variety of grains, sprouted grains.

The herbivorous animals need grass as fodder daily. Animals and birds require medicine. The director said other individual donors who want to adopt the animals or birds can do so. They can also donate for building enclosures and the like.

The park has plans to bring white tiger, zeebra, rhinos to the zoo, he said.