Now,another hippo rumoured to be ill at Byculla Zoo

Even as the Bombay Veterinary College is conducting tests to confirm the cause of the five-year-old hippopotamus,Shaktis death...

Even as the Bombay Veterinary College is conducting tests to confirm the cause of the five-year-old hippopotamus,Shaktis death,rumours about another hippo falling ill in the enclosure caused a commotion at the Byculla Zoo on Thursday.

Concern among animal lovers was triggered after some of them making rounds at the zoo observed that a hippo remained submerged in its pool for long hours. Sunish Subramanian,member of Plants and Animal Welfare Society,who did a field visit soon after he heard the rumours said,The animal remained inside the water and very still for over three hours. We still wonder if all is well with the hippo.

After Shaktis death,the zoo enclosure now houses four hippos – three females and one male – who share the water hole as well as the fodder in the enclosure.

The BVC has speculated that one of the possible causes of Shaktis death could be presence of heavy metals in the environment.

However,refuting the news that another animal was unwell,the newly-appointed advisor to the zoo,Dr Yuvraj Kaginkar,said,Initially,I too was shocked at the news. But I have personally visited the hippo enclosures twice today and inspected each animal. They are fit. It is natural for a hippopotamus to remain submerged in water for long hours. This is no cause for alarm.

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