Bhubaneswar: Nandankanan zoo Saturday welcomed a new guest as a hippopotamus gave birth to a calf. With this, the population of hippopotamus in the zoo has increased to 12.
According to zoo authorities, the hippo in enclosure-63 near Kanjia lake gave birth to a calf. The new guest is said to be well and healthy.
The number of this semi-aquatic mammal in the zoo now stands at 12- four males, six females and two calves.
Earlier, lioness Bijli had delivered three cubs including one stillborn at the zoological park July 21. Prior to this, Royal Bengal Tigress Megha successfully had delivered three cubs April 13 night.
Worth mentioning, after remaining off-limits to the visitors for over three months due to the surge in daily Covid-19 cases during the second wave, the zoo was reopened August 3.
After thermal screening at the entrance, visitors are being allowed into the park. They are asked to follow Covid-19 guidelines such as mask usage and social distancing strictly while inside and outside the park. People of 75 years old or above and children below 10 years and people having Covid-19 symptoms are not being allowed into the zoo.
PNN