Himachal to setup red jungle fowl breeding center at Renuka Ji

Nahan: Preserving the gene line  of red jungle fowl the department of wild life Himachal Pradesh has decided to establish a breeding centre at Renuka ji about 38 kilometers away from here. Sources said that in principally the department has agreed to start breeding centre but the certain formality left for final commencement of the work. Sources informed NVO News that this decision was taken in the meeting of HP zoo conservation breeding society at Shimla on Wednesday. As per as the further information this breeding centre would be started on the basis of guidelines of centre Zoo authority (CZA). As per as the information preservation of the gene would be conducted inside the Zoo in a breeding centre which is called insitu in the scientific manner. Expert of the wild life told NVO that the red jungle fowl was a permanent habitant in the area and department has a zoo at the place so it will be easy for the department to start a breeding centre at Renuka ji. Expert also informed that there was no impact of the bird flu on pure specie of red jungle fowl but now the purity of the species is endanger due to the cross breeding of domestic and jungle fowl. Sources also said that about five years back the department of wild life had invited, Mr. John Corder on the basis of voluntary services, a conservation expert from the World Pheasant as a consultant for its conservation breeding programme to save the highly endangered species like the western tragopan. Under his guidance the department has sent the blood samples of about 20 red jungle fowls from Chail, Renuka and Sarhan for DNA analysis to ascertain their genetic purity. The genetic integrity of the red jungle fowl and its conservation status has been a matter of concern for the ornithologists as large-scale cross-breeding with the domestic fowls and other similar fowls over the years had almost wiped out the genetically pure bird. The preservation of the pure blood red jungle fowl is essential in view of its use in pharmaceutical research. The genetically pure fowls are required for developing various drugs for the cure of leukemia and other diseases. Sources further said the wild life department has also decided to work on the similar lines in the Simbalwala sanctuary for preserving the gene of the red jungle fowl in the natural manner. About one and half year back the ministry of environment & forest has expressed concerne over the dwindling numbers of the red jungle fowl and had also announced action plan for conservation of purity of red jungle fowl .The ministry has also stated that lesser sightings of the bird in its natural habitat, a decline in its population appears to have taken place. Sources said that state government has not scientific study on the estimated population of the bird. Domestic chickens are said to have evolved from the red jungle fowl. When contacted, Chief conservator (wild life) and member secretary of the HP Zoo conservation breeding society   Mr. Sanjeeva Pandey confirmed that society has decided to set up a breeding centre at Renuka ji for preserving the gene of red jungle fowl and also said that genetic purity of the fowl could be assessed with the tail which is carried horizontally in both sexes and the females had no comb and they have an abbreviated call, unlike the domestic fowl. The clutch size is six to eight eggs as against the domestic fowl, which lay up to 265 eggs in a year. He also said that Renuka ji and Simbelwara are the suitable sites for setting up the centre.

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