Number of species and total number of animals displayed in the zoo
in recent years are as follows:

Nandankanan, built up in a natural setting has captive bred animals of both Indian and exotic species. Such exotic species include Hippopotamus, Emu, Zebra, Wallaby, and Capybara. The records of first breeding of different Indian species are as follows:
Reptiles
Reptiles        

Gharial ……………….	07. 05.1980 (This is a world record, as no where else Gharials had bred in captivity.)
Mugger crocodile……..	08. 03.1982
Indian python..............	27. 04.1978
Estuarine crocodile.....	15. 04.1985
Water monitor lizard…	28. 04.1996

Birds          

White necked stork….	25. 3.1996
Grey heron……………	30. 5.2000

Mammals

As an adjunct to the captive breeding programme, Nandankanan has undertaken reintroduction programme for species like Gharial, Mugger, Blackbuck and Spotted deer under which captive bred animals have been released in the wild. In this programme 448 Gharials have been released in Mahanadi river system.

The Zoo has the expertise to rescue and rehabilitate injured, abandoned, orphaned and problematic wild animals. The rescued animals are provided veterinary care and treatment before returning back to nature. The Zoo has rescued scheduled-I animals like leopard cub, baby elephant, pangolin, four horned antelope, barking deer, sloth bear, porcupine, ratel, mouse deer, fresh water turtle, and Indian tent turtle.

Outreach activities of Nandankanan include an 'Interpretation Centre' setup in 1996, training programmes for Zoo Keepers and local guides, publication of brochures, booklets and stickers, and display of signage depicting habit, habitat, food and reproductive status of animals housed in each enclosure. On the occasion of Wildlife Week, World Biodiversity Day, Zoo Week, World Conservation Day, World Environment Day, Animal Welfare Fortnight, etc. training camps are organized for school students to give them a first-hand experience of different aspects of wild animal behaviour and conservation of wildlife.

For achieving self-sufficiency in feed supply to the wild herbivores in the Zoo, a fodder farm extending over 33 Ac. was established in 1997. An area of 8.5 Ac. has been planted with Paragrass and 3.5 Ac. is planted with Napier-Bajra-21 as cultivated crop while seasonal crops like Stylo, Maize and Cow pea is cultivated over 3 Ac. of area. The balance area is managed as natural grassland from which common grass is harvested. The fodder farm yields about 15 Qntl. grass fodder daily. The use of pesticide or chemical fertilizer has not been allowed in the fodder farm, but application of bioforterliser and Azobacter inoculation are carried out periodically to maintain productivity.

About 14 lakh visitors come to the zoo in a year. Data on annual visitor flow and revenue earned for the last four years are given in the following Table.

The Zoo has more than 200 research papers published on different aspects of husbandry and management of Zoo animals in different reputed national and international journals, magazine, etc. Research work taken in this Zoo has led to one Ph.D. and one M.Phil degree in the past.

Blood samples of the tigers of this Zoo have been tested in the CCMB (Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad) and it is ascertained that inbreeding coefficient is low among tigers of Nandankanan. A Stud Book for Zoo tigers of Nandankanan is meticulously maintained. Planned breeding of tigers is more or less a regular feature here.

Visitor appreciation facilities like Toy Train, Boating, Children's Park, Lion Safari, White Tiger Safari, Aquarium, Rope way, etc. have been kept well maintained and functional throughout the year. With lakhs of visitors to the Zoo, it has remained a potential center for conservation education. New gadgets like swings, slides, merry-go-round, rocking chair with animated moulds have been installed in the Childrens' Park.

VISITOR FLOW TO NANDANKANAN AND REVENUE EARNED DURING LAST FOUR YEARS