The Hindu : New additions to the city zoo

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 16, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

New additions to the city zoo

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Dec. 15. The city zoo today added six primates and a King Cobra to its animal collection.

According to the zoo director, C. S. Yelakki, the King Cobra was brought from Thekkekkad bird sancturay near Kothamangalam. The female reptile_ named Rose Mary_ had been kept at the sanctuary after being rescued from a nearby area by Forest officials.

Similarly, two Lion-tailed Macaques (one male, Raman and one female, Sita) also kept at the sanctuary, were also handed over to the zoo officials. While Raman is nine, Sita is 12 years old.

Forest officials also brought to the zoo six primates from a forest area at Kodanad, near Perumbavur. These include one female Rhesus monkey, one female Nilgiri Langur and four Lion-tailed Macaques (three male and one female).

With this the collection of Lion-tailed Macaques in the city zoo has gone up to 15. Mr. Yelakki said all the animals brought to the zoo today were in good health. While the king cobra had already been released into a temporary enclosure, the primates would be given new enclosures within a short time.

The city zoo is one among three zoos in the country that have been designated as `captive breeding centres' for the Lion-tailed Macaque. The other two zoos are the Chamarajendra zoo, at Mysore and the Arignar Anna zoo at Vandalloor, near Chennai.

``With such a good collection of Lion-tailed Macaques, we will be in a strong position to bargain for other species of animals that we want here in exchange for the Macaques,'' Mr. Yelakki added.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Month-long cultural fete gets under way

Expert team suggests steps to check mosquito density

New additions to the city zoo