Two new guests at Kolkata zoo

     Kolkata: The zoo authorities in Kolkata and hundreds of its visitors were delighted as they watched two special guests at the zoo. Two hippopotamus from Mumbai have joined the family of the animals kept in Alipore Zoological Gardens in Kolkata after a Mumbai Court expressed concern over the inadequate space accorded to them. At a portly three quintals each, these two hippos were brought from Mumbai in a delicate package but it was not easy to unwrap them. "Actually the Mumbai zoo have a lot of Hippopotamus but they don't have big spaces to accommodate so many. So they have sent one pair here to the Kolkata zoo as per the instruction of the Central Zoo Authority," says S.K.Chowdhury, Director, Alipore Zoological Gardens. Zoo authorities have extended the old enclosure for hippopotami into a 2,700 square metre open-air enclosure with a separate room for individual animals. The renovations cost of about 66,000 dollars. And though the Hippos arrived in September, they were made available for public viewing was permitted only recently. "Today I'm feeling very happy and lucky to see these two here. I am enjoying every moment and feel very happy," says an excited Sayan Das, who pestered his parents for an immediate visit to the zoo. The two hippos, aged 17 and 14, were transported from Mumbai in specially designed cages at a total cost of about rupees eight lakh. The Kolkata zoo already has a 24-year-old male hippo. He was enjoying all the attention he received, sulking at the new competition. Zoo authorities said the new arrivals would be used for promoting breeding programmes but now is at the zoo.
-Oct 29, 2005