The Nandankanan Zoological Park in Odisha will soon get hoolock gibbons and leopard cats in exchange of tigers and gharials from the Biological Park, Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh.

The Nandankanan authorities on Friday handed over a pair of tigers (a male and a female) and three (one male and two female) gharials to the Biological Park, Itanagar. In return, the Odisha zoo will get a pair of hoolock gibbons (a male and a female) and a pair of leopard cats. The Nandankanan zoo is located on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar city.

The tiger and the tigress who were sent to Itanagar are two-year-and-four-month-old Rocky and two-year-and-three-month-old Sohini respectively. The gharials who were shifted are eight years old.

Deputy director of the Nandankanan zoo, Sanat Kumar, told The Telegraph: "The animals were exchanged following the approval of the Central Zoo Authority. In order to receive animals from Nandankanan, a team from Arunachal Pradesh reached here. The animals were sent on Friday and according to the plan, they would reach Itanagar on July 18."

He said: "In Itanagar, they have only two tigers in their zoo. As we have surplus tigers, we decided to exchange the tigers with other animals from them. They can start the inbreeding programme there and will also be benefitted.” He added: “In order to receive animals from Itanagar zoo, one team has been formed. The team has already left for Itanagar. Animals from Itanagar are expected to reach Nandankanan by July 25.”

At present there are 27 tigers and 105 gharials in the zoo, officials said.