In a major setback to the Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP) authorities, the male giraffe ‘Joy’ brought from the Alipore Zoo in Kolkata to the NZP six days ago for mating with the NZP’s lone female giraffe ‘Khusi’ died at its enclosure on Monday.
Though the reason for the death was yet to be established, Forests and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) to probe the sudden premature death of the animal.
Earlier in 2008, an 11-year-old giraffe namely ‘Sundar’ which was being transported from the Alipore zoo to here had died when overhead electric wires hit his neck.
On Wednesday last, the five-year-old animal, which was born at the Alipore Zoo, had been brought here under the supervision of an eight-member expert team headed by NZP Assistant Director Dr Kamal lochan Purohit.
The NZP had swapped four of its tigers, including a white big cat, to get the long-necked animal.
The four tigers, including two females, were transported by a special truck from Nandankanan. Rishi, a white male tiger, Snehasis, Sheela and Payal were sent to the Alipore Zoo under the exchange programme.
MC would certainly take note of it and ensure that the unclaimed corpses are transported and cremated in a dignified manner.
As per practice, bodies of unclaimed persons are kept for four to five days after postmortem and then sent for disposal by the police. There has not been any motor van allotted for carrying such bodies.