LAHORE, Jan 15: The Lahore Zoo will carry out blood tests of the deer and antelope family to ascertain if there is any incidence of tuberculosis, according to a decision taken at a meeting held here on Tuesday.

The zoo administration has also decided to buy and exchange a number of animals.

Officials in the Punjab Wildlife Department told Dawn that the Zoo Management Committee had taken these important decisions at a meeting presided over by PWD Director-General Muhammad Asif. ZMC vice-chairman Taqueer Shah and Lahore Zoo director Yousaf Pal also attended the meeting.

It was decided that pairs of lion, tiger, leopard and puma would be bought to add attraction to the zoo. The facility was also interested in buying spider monkey, langur, crown pigeon, Amzon, starlet macaws and marsh crocodile. Besides, blue bull, red deer, black buck, sika deer and zebra would be exchanged with different zoos and parks in the country.

The meeting decided that blood tests of deer and antelope family, which are in the captive breeding, would be carried out so that sick animals could be replaced with healthy ones.

The idea of setting up a mini pet zoo for children in which harmless animals and birds would be kept so that children could play and enjoy also came under discussion and as did the plan to improve facilities for the visitors.

The wildlife director general, officials said, stressed the need for improving public facilities like fixing of 70 new benches and installation of water coolers.