Zoo inmates to enjoy birthday celebration

Bhubaneswar, July 24: Nandankanan Zoo authority will now celebrate birthdays of important animals and birds inside their enclosures.

Three white tigers born to the pair of Rohita and Sailaja of Nandankanan breed will be the first to celebrate their birthdays on August one next.

Zoo Director Ajit Patnaik told UNI that on August one, two male white tigers- 'Rishi' and 'Switess' and a tigress 'Prachi' would turn two.

Officials will decorate the enclosures of the three white animals with flowers and a 'happy birthday' banner. The main entrance of the Zoo will have a board indicating the birthday of the tigers and a brief history of their clan.

The board will also display the birthdays of all zoo inmates from August one and their enclosures, for the visitors in a bid infuse a sense of love towards the animals and birds housed inside the zoo.

Mr Patnaik said they have decided to celebrate the birthdays of 12 important species numbering less than 80 but that of all other inmates will be displayed on the board for the knowledge of the visitors.

He said of the 19 lions, the zoo has the birthday record of only eight while the birthday of all 30 odd tigers including 19 white will be celebrated. Other inmates to enjoy the celebrations are 12 primates and as many bear besides 30 other birds and animals including some popular elephants.

Mr Patnaik said the zoo would celebrate the birthday of at least two or three animals inside their enclosures every month.

UNI