Rhinoceros born in zoo
Rhino parents from Patna; Gaur also gives birth
The Nehru Zoological Park on Saturday announced the birth of a baby rhinoceros, and a baby gaur. Timing the announcement to coincide with the World Environment Day celebrations at the zoo, the park officials said the gaur was born on June 2, the Telangana State Formation Day, while the one-horned rhinoceros was born a fortnight ago.
To mark the day the gaur was born, the calf was named Komaram Bheem, a tribal leader who fought against the Nizam, while the baby rhino was named Nanda, the officials said.
Nanda was born to Saraswati and Suraj, the two one-horned rhinoceroses that were brought to the Nehru Zoological Park from the Patna zoo in 2011. The gaur calf was born to Anjali and Amber, both born and raised at the Nehru zoo.
R. Shobha, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, said the Nehru zoo was at the forefront in conservation and breeding of wild animals, and the births of mega herbivores had brought a lot of cheer in the otherwise gloomy pandemic scenario.
She appreciated the hard work and dedication of the forest department and zoo staff for their relentless service towards conservation of wildlife in these hard times. The World Environment Day celebrations at the zoo were also marked by planting saplings of various fruit and flowering trees. Among those who took part in the event were Dr Sidhanand Kukrety, director of Zoo Parks, M.J. Akbar, conservator of forests, Hyderabad circle, Subhadra Devi, the zoo curator.