×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Mysuru Zoo to welcome one more giraffe to its family

Last Updated 24 June 2018, 18:43 IST

Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens in Mysuru, which has the highest number of giraffes in the country, is ready to welcome another young one soon.

Eight-year-old Laxmi is said to be ready to give birth to a calf in a couple of months. Laxmi’s mother Khushi gave birth to a female calf, Trishika, on May 26, 2018. With Trishika, the zoo now houses seven giraffes. According to the authorities, Laxmi is expected to give birth in October. Laxmi was paired with Krishnaraja, which died recently. The giraffes have a gestation period of 15 months.

The zoo received the first pair of giraffes - Honey and Henry - on July 3, 1988, through animal exchange programme from a Zoo in Germany. From then, the giraffes have been attracting a large crowd. So far, nine new giraffes have been delivered.

While Yuvaraja and Krishnaraja were born to Henry and Honey, Laxmi, Bhim, Babli, Bharath and Trishika were born to Krishnaraja and Khushi, a female giraffe brought to Mysuru Zoo from a zoo in Lucknow, in October 2007. Mary and Gowri were born to Krishnaraja and Laxmi.

At present, the Zoo houses Yuvaraja, Khushi, Laxmi, Babli, Bharath, Mary and Trishika. Yuvaraja is the oldest male giraffe and Kushi is the eldest female giraffe, which gave birth to five calves. Gowri was shifted to Bannerghatta Biological Park, Bengaluru, in April, under the animal exchange programme.

Mysuru Zoo Executive Director Sidramappa Chalkapure said, “We have a good demand for giraffes from the other zoos in the country. The Zoo has successfully bred giraffes and exchanged the long-necked animals under animal exchange programme across the country,” he said. According to Chalkapure, the country may have nearly 30 giraffes.

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 24 June 2018, 17:42 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT