MELAKA: A tranquil atmosphere prevails at the Melaka Zoo due to the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) throughout the country. Without the daily intrusion of visitors, there is much-needed space for zoo animals to express their natural behaviour and interact freely with its kind.
Its zoology unit head, Azman Ghazali, said when visitors were allowed in, the animals were often seen to be passive and would even shy away.
Changes in the behaviour of the animals are evident now even in the mating behaviour of a group comprising six black panthers.
“There are six panthers at the Melaka Zoo and we have observed the mating pattern of four of them recently,“ he said when met by Bernama here today.
This development may bring new history for the conservation centre if the female panther becomes pregnant and gives birth at the Melaka Zoo.
So far, the Melaka Zoo has not had a birth of a panther despite preserving the species since 12 years ago in various stages including keeping a female panther that was taken in about six months ago.
“My hope is for the two (couple) to have healthy cubs so that after this we can design a programme to release these valuable species into their original habitat.
“The chances for the female panther to get pregnant are high because the animal caregiver is more focused on making observations, preparing a nutritious diet, providing a better play area as well as being able to make preparations for the birth,“ he said.
Meanwhile, Azman said, other animals also display the possibility to breed more in this new quiet surroundings at the zoo.
“For example, parrots are among the ‘key species’ at the Melaka Zoo and there are more than 20 species consisting of six species such as the blue-and-gold macaw and scarlet macaw, and these birds need a calm atmosphere to incubate their eggs in the nest.
“If the bird is depressed or feels disturbed by the visitors, it will leave its nest thus causing the egg to not hatch,“ he said.
Meanwhile, the zoology unit’s wildlife assistant Muhammad Aizad Faizatul Azreen said although the Melaka Zoo is not open during the current MCO period, a total of 40 trained animal keepers still had to work daily to ensure the welfare, safety and health of animals under their care.
Muhammad Aizad, who serves as the zoo’s supervisor, said that during this period, animal caregivers can spend more time to ‘strengthen’ relationships and improve interaction, and also understand more clearly each animal’s behaviour under their care. — Bernama