Barang: In what could bring cheers to animal lovers, the Nandankakan Zoological Park (NZP) authorities have confirmed the pregnancy of Jilu, one of the six Himalayan bears in the zoo.
There is more good news. The pair of Nilgiri langurs, which has been kept in the feeding chamber since September 30, will be temporarily relocated to enclosure no 55A near the baboon enclosure.
This is the fourth pregnancy of Jilu. Although, the zoo authorities were apprehensive about her pregnancy, an incident Saturday made them draw a conclusion. “She dug a small burrow in her enclosure Saturday. Usually this happens only when a Himalayan bear is expectant. She goes into hibernation prior to giving birth and does not come out of the cave until the baby is a few days old,” NZP assistant director (Sanctuary Management) Anjan Kumar Mohanty said, adding, they have kept her in a feeding chamber in the enclosure where she would be dealt with at most care.
If everything goes well, the bear family would take a pioneer role in animal exchanges, Mohanty added.
NZP sources said Jilu’s first and third babies could not survive, while her second baby was sent to some other zoo. The zoo authorities are hopeful that the fourth baby of the female bear would be a New Year’s gift for Nandankakan.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to boost visitor footfall in the New Year, the pair of Nilgiri langurs, which is expected to become a major attraction, will be temporarily relocated to enclosure no 55A.
Sources said a pair of Nilgiri langurs was brought from Chennai’s Vandalur Zoo as a part of the animal exchange programme September 26 this year. Initially they were kept in enclosure no 68. However, the female langur managed to escape the enclosure September 29. After hours of frantic search, the NZP authorities managed to trace and subsequently trap her September 30. Since then, the langur pair has been kept in the feeding chamber in an attempt to avoid reoccurrence of the situation.
The enclosure no 55A near the baboon enclosure has been renovated to house the langur pair temporarily. “To ensure that the langurs don’t escape, plans are on to renovate enclosure no 68 and cover it with wires, as in case of leopard enclosure. As it is a time taking process, the pair will be kept at enclosure no 55A until enclosure no 68 is renovated,” deputy director Jayant Kumar Das said.
PNN
