The long and tall of Mysuru giraffe’s Guwahati trip

Authorities of the Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens (Mysore zoo), in a first, successfully transported a giraffe to a distance of 3,200 km to Guwahati in a specially-designed truck recently.

According to the Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK), this is the longest transport of a giraffe in the country ever.

The zoo authorities transported the 14-month-old, 12-foot-tall male giraffe to the Assam state zoo-cum-botanical garden (popularly known as Guwahati zoo).

The animal travelled for seven nights, eight days and reached Guwahati safely. As many as seven professionals, including veterinarian Dr Ramesh, travelled along with the animal in the truck, said Mysuru zoo executive director Ajit Kulkarni.

There was no giraffe at the Guwahati zoo for eight years now. Thus Mysuru zoo sent a giraffe under its animal exchange programme. Mysuru zoo will get a rhinoceros in return.

ZAK member secretary B P Ravi said, earlier, giraffes were transported to Lucknow and Patna from Mysuru. A specially designed truck is used to transport the animals and it is common for them to get stressed during the journey, Ravi said.