Mysuru: The Mysuru Zoo, which boasts of housing exotic animals and birds, received four elephant calves from Bandipur Reserve Forest on Thursday to be exchanged for a pair of African Rhinos from Singapore Zoo under Animal Exchange Programme.

Mysuru Zoo Executive Director C. Ravishankar, speaking to Star of Mysore said that the Zoo received four elephants aged four and six years on Jan. 25 and has initiated the process for exchanging them for animals from Singapore Zoo.

Stating that the Mysuru Zoo had provisions to collect it, the Zoo Executive Director said that the Zoo had sent this proposal in 2015 but the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) had deferred it due to some issues and added that the Mysuru Zoo has once again written to the CZA seeking permission.

The Mysuru Zoo, which has been adding exotic animals to its inventory, has a collection of various animals from different parts of the globe — Zebras, Cheetahs, Green Anacondas, Meercats, Chimpanzees, Giraffes, Hippos, Wallaby, South American Tapir, Ostrich, North American Wood Duck, Australian Rainbow Lorikeet, African Slender Snouted Crocodile and Nile Crocodile to name a few.

Though the Zoo houses a pair of Indian Rhinos, it is trying its luck to procure a pair of African Rhinos to add them in its inventory.

Zoo making all efforts to get a Gorilla

Following the death of Polo (43), India’s only Gorilla in captivity, due to respiratory infection and age-related ailments in the Zoo in 2014, the Mysuru Zoo had lost one of its precious inmate and the star attraction of the Zoo. Polo was received from Dublin Zoo, Ireland, on 12th August, 1995.

The Zoo is making all efforts to get a Gorilla, said Ravishankar and added that volunteers and officials of Alpenzoo had visited Mysuru about two months ago and were very happy to see the Zoo and the animals which are housed here. He said that the Alpenzoo officials who have given positive response have assured him of putting forward the request by the Mysuru Zoo at the World Gorilla Committee meeting to be held in April.  

Ravishankar said that if all goes well, Mysuru Zoo would house a Gorilla once again.