Chimp Pampeta to be blessed with baby in Odisha zoo

Bhubaneswar: Chimpanzee Pampeta is expected to be blessed with another baby on October 2 in Nandankanan Zoological Park here.

Pampeta is the oldest female chimp in the zoo. She is waiting for sixth delivery at age of 24.

Pampeta along with male chimp Julu was brought to Nandankanan on June 16, 1994 when she was only 3 years old, one year younger to Julu. The couple had laid the foundation of taking chimpanzee generations forward in the zoo. Five baby chimps have been born so far to Pampeta-Julu.

Normally, a chimpanzee delivers in 240 days of conceiving baby. As the mating period of Pampeta was held between January 17 and February 4 this year, she is assumed to deliver baby on Oct 2. The delivery may take place five days before or after the scheduled date given by the veterinary doctors of the zoo.

For her sixth delivery, her health is being regularly checked. She has been kept with another chimp Rakhi at the cell number 60 (A). She will be separated from Rakhi during period of her delivery.

Earlier, Pampeta had first delivered Barsha on May 12, 1998. However, the baby died in six months. She was blessed with another baby chimp Purnima on June 9, 2001. Her third male baby, who was born on November 9, 2006, was killed by Julu with nail. Later, Pampeta gave birth to Subhadra on July 7, 2010. Subhadra was sent to Patna zoo and in exchange of the chimp, Nandankanan zoo got a Giraffe. The female chimp Pampeta delivered her fifth child John on December 25, 2014. But John died on September 27, 2016 due to illness. He was undergoing treatment for respiratory complications.

While Pampeta lost her three kids, her second child Purnima is surviving in Nandankanan. The zoo authorities are eagerly waiting for the sixth delivery of the oldest female chimp.