Bhubaneswar: After a long wait, Odisha's Nandankanan Zoological Park finally welcomed a pair of giraffes from Zoological Garden, Alipore,Kolkata as part of the approved animal  exchange programme. A 10-member team headed by Dr Rasmi Ranjan Swain, ACF executed the operation and finally brought the Giraffes today at 11.50 pm. While the male giraffe is 1 year 5 months old and the female giraffe is 1 year 1 month old.

Since sizeable population of giraffes is there only in very limited zoos within India, to get the species was a challenge. 

With this acquisition, the giraffe count at Nandankanan has gone up to 3 (1:2).

PCCF(Wildlife) Odisha along with Nandankanan authorities had discussions with Mysore, Patna & Alipore Zoo, to get giraffes in exchange programmes. Finally, after getting the consent from Alipore Zoo, a proposal was submitted to CZA, and approval received on August 9 this year. 

Since bringing of Giraffe by road is a difficult task, a lot of precautions have been taken by Nandankanan authority to execute this task.

A team from Nandankanan zoo conducted a preliminary survey of the route and identified threat locations. A transportation plan was designed including the low bedded trailer and use of special crates. They made quarantine space for the Giraffes to be brought and coordinated transportation with the Collectors, SPs and DFOs en route.

.Dr Sarat Kumar Sahu, BVO, Dr Rajesh Kumar Mohapatra, Biologist , Susanta Behera, FG, Saikh Samsudin, Trailokya Maharana, Attendant, and out sourced employees namely Lokanatha Gauda,  Lakhmidhar Bhoi, Sunil Behera, Gyanaranjan Rout were there in the team.

The team started the journey with the giraffes on August 31 night and reached Nandankanan Zoological Park after 25 hours. The consignment was 16.5 feet high from ground and moved in an average speed of 25km per hour. Both the giraffes were inspected at regular intervals with food and water.

Director, Alipore Zoo supported in coordinating with Collectors & SPs of West Bengal Part. He also provided one giraffe keeper and a concerned attendant to escort the giraffes along with the Nandankanan team and stay at Nandankanan zoo for few days till the giraffes got acquainted with new environment. 

Collectors & SPs of Baleswar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Cuttack & Khurdha, DCP, Bhubaneswar, and DFOs of Baleswar, Bhadrak,& Cuttack supported the team en route.Escort of Police & Forest Department was ensured throughout the 25-hour arduous journey.

The local executive engineer, TPCODL was also preinformed. They facilitated the journey by disconnecting electricity from hanging wires from Pitapalli to Nandankanan. 

Since long, Nandankanan had only one female Giraffe,( Khusi) and attempts were on to give an opportunity to socialise the single Giraffe with other giraffes.

Khusi was brought from Patna Zoo in 2012. Before this, one attempt was made in 2008 to bring a giraffe from Alipore zoo, but it died en route due to electrocution. Another attempt to bring a giraffe was made in 2016. This time the male Giraffe successfully landed at Nandankanan but died after 6 days due to Theileriosis.