The Hindu : New Delhi News : New arrivals at Delhi Zoo

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Thursday, Oct 26, 2006
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New Delhi

New arrivals at Delhi Zoo

Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

NEW DELHI: In what could be lightly termed as a Diwali and Id gift, Delhi Zoo received two more inmates on Wednesday in the form of two chimpanzees who have been gifted to the authorities here by Germany. Aged around five to six years, the chimpanzees have been brought in to serve as partners for two females who already reside in the zoo.

Delhi Zoo officials said it was around 3-30 a.m. that the two chimpanzees were flown into the Capital from Germany. The two, who used to live together in Kreldfer Zoo, were accompanied by a German doctor during transit. At around 6-30 p.m. they were taken to the zoo where the authorities immediately put them in the hospital and quarantined them.

The officials said that for the next fortnight or so the chimpanzees would remain quarantined and their health would be closely observed to see that they do not catch any infection. Following this acclimatisation, the two would be lodged in a separate enclosure. Thereafter their behavioural pattern would be observed to see that they are comfortable in their new surroundings.

Once the two chimpanzees have settled down, the officials said, the visitors would get to see them. This is likely to happen in the first week of December.

Then would come the most important aspect of the arrival of the two chimpanzees. They will get to meet Rita and Ruby with whom they are expected to increase the chimpanzee population of the zoo. Besides them, there is only one other male chimpanzee in the zoo, Rustam.

To ensure that a proper family of chimpanzees continues to remain in the zoo, efforts would be made to ensure that the actual purpose of bringing in the new inmates is served.

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