Thiruvananthapuram (Keralam) [India], August 20 (ANI): After a gap of nearly nine years, zebras are back at the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo in Keralam.
Three zebras from Vantara, the Greens Zoological, Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Gujarat, arrived at the 170-year-old zoo as part of an animal exchange programme ahead of Onam.
The three zebras, two females and one male, were brought from Gujarat to Keralam in a specially designed animal ambulance. A team led by a veterinary surgeon accompanied them during the journey to keep a check on their health and welfare.
The last zebra at the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo died in 2017. Zoo officials said they had been trying to bring the animals back since then.
Dr Nikesh Kiran, surgeon at the zoo, told ANI that the return of the zebras came after years of efforts.
"It has been nine years since the last zebra died in Trivandrum Zoo. It was in 2017 (that) the last one died and ever since then we have been trying to bring the zebras here and now we are successful to bring them from Vantara, Jamnagar, Gujarat. And in exchange, we have been trying to give them a lion-tailed monkey and a king cobra," he said.
Kiran said the zebras were in good health after their journey, though they were facing some travel stress. He also shared details about their ages and said the zoo hopes they will breed in the future.
"Now they have a little bit of travel stress; otherwise they are very healthy. Currently, two females and one male have been brought here. We hope we can breed them here and they are at a very healthy age. The male is five years of age and the female is three years of age," he added.
As part of the exchange programme, the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo is sending a lion-tailed macaque and a king cobra to Vantara. The exchange is aimed at supporting animal care, breeding and conservation efforts at both institutions.
Zoo Superintendent TV Anil Kumar said the zebras arrived early in the morning and were moved to their enclosures. He added that visitors would be able to see them from 9.30 am.
"We are very happy to receive our zebras and they reached early in the morning and now we have shifted them to their enclosures and they will be ready for the visitors to observe from 9.30 onwards today. And our minister, K Muraleedharan, will be opening these zebras to the visitors. And we are also planning to bring a few more very interesting exotic animals in future and we are in this process," Kumar told ANI.
The zebras were sourced from Vantara, which was established under the leadership of Anant Ambani. The animal exchange is part of efforts by the two institutions to work together on animal care and species conservation.
The arrival of the zebras comes ahead of Onam, Keralam's 10-day harvest festival, which begins on August 24. (ANI)
Three zebras arrive at Thiruvananthapuram's 170-year-old zoo from Gujarat's Vantara under animal exchange programme
