Mysuru: The long pending demand from Bannerghatta Biological Park, Bengaluru with the Mysuru Zoo authorities for giraffe, has been finally met. Though they had asked for a male and female Giraffe, the Mysuru Zoo authorities took a decision to handover a female giraffe and transported it to Bannerghatta Biological Park successfully on April 3.
Initially, the zoo authorities wanted to give three-and-a-half year old giraffe Bubli and all arrangements including accommodating the big animal were made. However, Bubli didn’t go near the cage which was set up at the enclosure. Later, the zoo authorities decided to give the 13.5 ft tall Gowri instead, which is aged 2.2 years. Gowri was born on 19 December 2015 to Krishnaraja and Lakshmi. As per the instructions of the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Member Secretary, Zoo Authority of Karnataka, Mysuru the animal was handed over to Bannerghatta Biological Park.
Ravishankar, Executive Director of Mysuru Zoo said, “Initially, we had planned to give nearly 15 ft tall Bubli but she was not feeling comfortable hence we decided to send Gowri. In the trial during the last one week, Gowri responded well and hence we decided to send her to Bannerghatta Biological Park. On Tuesday, in a special 12-wheeler low bed trailer vehicle we transported Gowri to Bannerghatta Biological Park. Before we transported the tall animal, we had conducted two to three road surveys and wherever necessary we also chopped few branches. Wherever the electric poles impeded, we held talks with the electrical department to turn off power during the animal journey. The animal departed Mysuru at 12.30 PM and without any hindrance reached Bannerghatta Biological Park at 8 PM covering nearly 200 km.”
The animal was transported under the supervision of veterinarians from both Mysuru Zoo and Bannerghatta National Park, animal keepers and other related staff members.
6 giraffes at Mysuru Zoo:
As of now, Mysuru Zoo has six giraffes, four female and two male. The 23-year-old Krishnaraja is the oldest one in the zoo. Among the four females, Kushi and Lakshmi are pregnant and expected to deliver in May and July respectively.
