After litter of Asiatic lion cubs, Delhi zoo welcomes another birth — hippopotamus calf
Earlier this year, four Asiatic lion cubs were born at the zoo. At present, a male and a female cub have survived and are being hand-raised, said officials
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“This is the third litter for the female. The last birth occurred in 2023,” Zoo Director Dr Sanjeet Kumar said (Representative image/Archive)For the first time in two years, a female hippopotamus calf was born at the National Zoological Park, also known as Delhi Zoo, on Monday.
The calf was born to a nine-year-old female hippopotamus after a gestation period of approximately nine months and five days, said zoo officials. “This is the third litter for the female. The last birth occurred in 2023,” Zoo Director Dr Sanjeet Kumar said.
With this addition, the zoo now houses seven hippopotamuses – three adult males, two male calves, one adult female, and the newborn.
Following the birth, the mother and calf have been moved to a separate pool, away from the rest of the group. “As a precautionary measure, the mother and calf have been separated from the herd. They are being monitored through CCTV surveillance,” said Dr Kumar.
Zoo officials said the mother is nursing the calf and exhibiting a safe post-birth behaviour. Staffers have been deployed at the enclosure, and CCTV surveillance is being used for continuous observation, said Kumar. “Taking due precautions, distance is being maintained to ensure that the animals are not disturbed,” he added.
Earlier this year, four Asiatic lion cubs were born at the zoo. At present, a male and a female cub have survived and are being hand-raised, said officials.
The zoo has also increased its safety measures amid a bird flu scare at a zoo in nearby Uttar Pradesh. Last week, the Delhi Zoo had issued an internal advisory directing staff to enforce “strictest biosecurity measures” as part of emergency preparedness after H5 avian influenza or bird flu was recently confirmed in a tigress that died at the Gorakhpur Zoo in Uttar Pradesh.
The scare comes amid the summer holidays when the footfall is usually high. The internal memorandum was issued last Thursday by Dr Kumar: “In view of the recent incidence of avian influenza (H5) at Gorakhpur Zoo, UP all preventive measures for preparedness and surveillance of the avian influenza have to be carried out in order to keep the zoo animals, visitors and its staff safe and healthy,” the advisory stated. A senior zoo official had stated, “We are watching closely, and if any signs are observed, we will act accordingly. But for now, all is okay and the zoo is not being closed.”
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