Mysuru: At the city’s world renowned zoo, there was a mixture of grief and joy on Saturday.
The 29-year-old Erina, a Plains zebra (Equus quagga), which had been received from Germany on September 15, 1990 died on Friday night.
It had not accepted any food for the last five days. In spite of necessary medical treatment given, it succumbed to death.
The animal was senile and had completed its full life-span as the average life span of a Plains Zebra in captivity is 25 to 30 years. The managment and staff felt sorry over its demise.
But the grief was compensated for with the arrival of a giraffe calf, born of Lakshmi, for which it was the second motherhood. The mother and the young one both are doing well.
Lakshmi is nursing her well. In order to avoid the disturbance to the young calf and possible contracting of infection, the giraffe enclosure is closed for the visitors. Visitors and media have been requested to co-operate.
The calf is growing well. As of now, the zoo has 3 male giraffe and 5 female.
Congratulations to the Zoo authorities on the birth of a baby Girafffe.
I remember my visit to the zoo when the first pair of Giraffes arrived.
When I entered the premises for a minute I thought they were statues as very rarely do we get to see them at Zoos these days.
Now that the zoo has 8 of them just goes to speak highly the team’s work at the zoo which assists with the maintenance and breeding of such rare animals.
As for the demise of the zebra who lived almost its whole life-span, hope the authorities will take necessary measures (through taxidermy – the method to stuff and preserve dead animals) to maintain and display it in some museum in Mysore.
All the best and God Bless.
Regards
Aladdin Pais
Mumbai – India