Palni gets new partner Durga at Kankaria zoo

AHMEDABAD: Palni the male hippopotamus in Kamla Nehru Botanical Garden, popularly known as Kankaria Zoo, will have a new partner Durga. The decision to have a partner for Palni was taken after Devi died and the zoo authorities were left with only two hippopotamus.

Devi, the 20-year-old female hippopotamus at Kamla Nehru Botanical Garden died on Sunday night after suffering from interstitial pneumonia. The animal had been brought to the city from the Mumbai zoo in 1997 under an exchange programme.

According to AMC officials, Devi was spotted by the staff lying flat on the ground in her cage on Sunday and immediately checked after which she was declared dead. A team of veterinary experts from Anand was called in for the post-mortem. The experts confirmed the cause of death. Officials said that Devi was initially suffering from fever and cold and was treated by the local veterinarian. The hippopotamus had responded to treatment but died on Sunday evening.

Officials said that since no zoo was wanting Hippopotamus in exchange, they had kept Palni in a separate enclosure, but now with the death of Devi, the Zoo Authorities have decided to keep Palni along with Durga. Kamla Nehru Zoo has the status of a breeding zoo.