Newborn zebras become cynosure of all eyes at Alipore zoo

Two new zebra foals were born at the Zoological Garden, Alipore. Authorities at the zoo said that the two foals were born before Kali Puja.

Till Tuesday, authorities had not brought them outside for public viewing for fear of their safety and veterinarians at the zoo had put them under constant inspection.

On Tuesday morning, the newborns were brought for public viewing. As a result, massive footfall was witnessed at the zoo, especially at the zebra enclosure.

Kolkata is now experiencing the advent of winter. Average footfall at the zoo at this point of time is much higher than at any other time.

The Alipore Zoological Garden is India’s oldest formally stated zoological park and a big tourist attraction in Kolkata. It has been recognised as a zoo since 1876 and is spread over 18.81 hectare.

The zoo is immensely popular, more so when it housed the now expired Aldabra giant tortoise Adwaita.

The tortoise was reputed to have been over 250 years old when it died in 2006.

The zoo is also home to one of the few captive breeding projects, involving the Manipur brow-antlered deer.

As of 2015, the latest births at the zoo are that of Grant’s zebra and Indian muntjac.

With the birth of the two Zebra fowls, it has become a seven-member family.

It may be recalled that in 2014, an animal smuggler’s den was discovered in Baguihati, a North Kolkata suburb, where three chimpanzees, eight marmosets and around 250 birds – including three endemic species – were kept hidden.

The Kolkata Police handed over all the animals to the Alipore Zoo Authority. Now, these animals cared for and on display for the public.

After this incident, security at the zoo was tightened. “We have tight security here. There is no chance that anybody could enter to do any illegal activitiy,” said an on-duty police officer at the zoo.