Bhubaneswar, April 12: There are only two gharials in the wild in Orissa despite hundreds of the reptile having been successfully bred at the Tikarpada sanctuary.

Keeping this in mind, there is not only a need for captive breeding of endangered species, but to re-introduce them to the wild, said Dr B.C. Chaudhuri, head of department of endangered species management, Wildlife Institute of India (WII). Otherwise, the gharials may soon find a place in the list of highly endangered animals of IUCN, he feared.

Chaudhuri, who is here to attend the training programme for zoo directors for evolving a master plan for zoos, said a nationally coordinated breeding plan of tigers was started two years ago , of which the Nandankanan zoo was a part.

?Under this, all the zoos act like nodes and there is exchange of animals and data-sharing to conserve the endangered animals.? Such programmes are also underway in certain southern zoos for conservation of Gours and in Himalayan zoos for pheasants, he added.

The wildlife expert said most of the 250 zoos in India are unplanned. Some of these are royalty zoos set up by monarchs for amusement while some others were established after independence. Owing to rapid urbanisation and industrialisation, areas of some zoos are also getting shrunk. And this needs to be checked. The meet will help the zoo officials evolve a master plan for renovation and modernisation of the zoos. The Central government is mulling setting up a centre of zoo studies for offering training in zoo management, he added.

As many as 26 senior officials are taking part in the five-day meet, besides some experts from abroad.

?The master plan will be like a vision document to be implemented over a period of 20-25 years,? Chaudhuri said. As the Central Zoo Authority may start linking of funding to submission of a six-yearly management plan, the master plan will serve as a document to show the way, he hoped.

WII is also closely working with Chilika Development Authority to work out a dolphin watch protocol, so that dolphins in Chilika lake are not threatened by tourism.

Vulture zone: Nandankanan zoo will soon have a vulture breeding centre for conservation of the rapidly dwindling scavenger birds. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik announced this while inaugurating the Zoo Directors? Meet yesterday. Since the vultures play an important role in cleaning of the environment, the Centre will try for captive breeding of the species in consultation with experts, he added.