New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) Delhi's National Zoological Park (NZP) has approached Assam zoo to give a male rhinoceros under an animal exchange programme, officials said on Friday.

According to the officials, they are in talks with the Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden regarding this as for the last nine years, the Delhi zoo does not have a male rhinoceros.

Also Read | Ayodhya Ram Mandir: MakeMyTrip Witnesses ‘1,806%’ Jump in Searches for 'Ayodhya' Since Announcement of Inauguration.

"Under the exchange programme, the Assam zoo wants a female rhinoceros and a Bengal tigress. We have two female rhinoceros -- Maheshwari and her daughter Anjuna,” an NZP official said.

“Apart from this, we are also planning for another exchange in which the Assam zoo will give us a pied hornbill for macaw," a zoo official said.

Also Read | ED Team Attacked in West Bengal: Two Arrested in Connection With Attack on Enforcement Directorate Team in Sandeshkhali.

Pied hornbill and macaw are species of birds.

NZP Director Akanksha Mahajan said talks are underway with Assam zoo regarding the animal exchange programme.

"We have requested the Assam zoo to provide us with a male rhinoceros. The talks regarding this are underway. We can explore the possibility of increasing the population of rhinoceros here as the NZP is a participating zoo for the conservation breeding of Indian rhinoceros," Mahajan said.

In 2013, the Delhi zoo had brought a 34-year-old male rhinoceros, Shiva, from Mumbai's Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Udyan and Zoo. Shiva died on June 18, 2014, due to cancer.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)