Visitors to the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Zoo at Byculla have expressed concerns over the hippopotamus enclosure, where three adult animals and one calf currently live in somewhat cramped circumstances.
Senior zoo officials have said one male hippo, Deva, and two females, Shilpa and Mangal, are currently sharing the enclosure with Shilpa's one-month-old calf. But this, the officials said, is only a temporary arrangement made due to the ongoing revamp work at the zoo. "Work is underway to build another pond for the hippos, and it will be completed within a month. Deva and Mangal will be shifted there, while Shilpa and her calf will remain in their present enclosure," a senior official said.
But visitors aren't happy with the conditions in which the animals are kept. Hemant Waigankar, an Andheri resident who visited the zoo on Sunday, said the pond looked dirty. "There were three adult hippos lying close to each other in a small pond. There is also a baby next to them, meaning they barely have any space to float or move around," Waigankar said, adding that he pointed this out to the guards who assured of letting the officials know.
Another zoo official, however, denied that the water was dirty. "The pond is cleaned thoroughly once a week," he said. "We understand the need for a good space for the hippos, which is why we have proposed a new 4,000 sq.metre enclosure under the zoo revamp plan which will house all the exotic animals."
New Calf A Crowd Puller
Meanwhile, the calf born to Deva and Shilpa is a hot attraction at the zoo. The gender of the calf is yet to be ascertained, but viewers are enjoying watching it follow its mother around the pond and running after the crows. "All care is being taken and its health is under continuous observation," said a zoo official.
