The Hindu              13.08.2013

New arrivals at VOC Park Zoo

Major attraction:The newborn civet cats and the 22 young ones of a Russell’s Viper at VOC Park Zoo in Coimbatore on Monday.- Photo:M.Periasamy.

As many as 22 young ones of the Russell’s viper ( Daboia russelii ) and three newborn civet cats ( Paradoxurus hermaphroditus ) greeted visitors at the Coimbatore Corporation’s mini zoo at VOC Park on Monday.

Russell's viper

Director of the Zoo, K. Asokan said that Russell’s viper normally litters a maximum of 20 to 40 young ones and the normal breeding time is May to November. The young one’s measured between 215 to 260 mm.

Viviparous

Russell’s viper is viviparous species unlike other snakes that are oviparous reptiles.

With this the total number of snakes had gone up to 64. Similarly, two Civet cats ( Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) also gave birth to four young ones taking the total number of civet cats at the zoological park to 11.

The zoo already has three female adult and four male adult civet cats. With this the total number of animals at the Zoo had increased to 890.

The zoo already has three female adult and four male adult civet cats