Bhubaneswar, (Tulu Patra) Sept 2: After an eight-year wait, Nandankanan Zoological Park, located on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, welcomed two new giraffes late Sunday night. The pair, consisting of a 1-year-5-month-old male and a 1-year-1-month-old female, were transported from the Alipore Zoological Garden in Kolkata as part of an animal exchange program.
The exchange, which had been planned by the Forest Department in January, received approval from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) on August 9. In return, Nandankanan will send a pair of Asiatic lions to Alipore Zoo.
A 10-member team led by ACF Rasmi Ranjan Swain began the journey with the giraffes on the night of August 31 and arrived at Nandankanan after 25 hours. Due to the challenges of transporting giraffes by road, the team conducted a preliminary survey to identify potential hazards and developed a detailed transportation plan. This included the use of a low-bedded trailer and special crates, as well as creating a quarantine space for the giraffes.
The journey, which averaged 25 km per hour, involved regular inspections of the giraffes. The team was supported by Collectors and SPs from Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Cuttack, and Khurda, as well as DCP Bhubaneswar and DFOs from Balasore, Bhadrak, and Cuttack. The transport was also facilitated by TPCODL, which temporarily disconnected electricity from hanging wires along the route from Pitapalli to Nandankanan.
