Soon, ostrich & emu to be part of Chandigarh Bird Park

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, October 7

People will soon be able to see the world’s tallest and second tallest birds in the city. The UT Forests and Wildlife Department has planned to bring the tallest and the heaviest flightless bird, ostrich, which is found only in Africa, and emu, the largest bird of Australia, to the Bird Park here.

The department has prepared a special enclosure for six ostriches and six emus. Besides, American ducks will also be kept at the park.

Under an expansion plan for the Bird Park, the department has planned to buy 70 exotic birds at a cost of about Rs 70 lakh. The department has floated a tender to buy these birds through the newly created Forest Society on Conservation (FOSCON).

An official said the society had been constituted under the Forest Department and the income would be used for the maintenance of the bird park.

The department will also be expanding and relocating the most popular section in the park, “Winged Wonders”, where visitors can get their pictures clicked with tamed birds.

The park is located in the Nagar Van behind the Sukhna Lake. As a large number of people visit the park, the department plans to shift ticket counters, located at the entrance to the park, to gate of the Nagar Van. A new toilet block is also coming up in the central area of the park.