Hyderabad: The Zoo Park in Hyderabad mourned the loss of one of its oldest and most cherished residents, a male giraffe named Basant, who passed away on Monday, October 28 at 11:30 pm. At the age of 20, Basant succumbed to complications related to old age having battled arthritis in his hind legs for the past two years under the continuous care of Deputy Director (Veterinary), Dr MA Hakeem.
Basant was born during the 2004 Tsunami at New Delhi’s National Zoological Park, which inspired his name. In 2009, he was brought to the Zoo Park in Hyderabad as part of an animal exchange program, quickly becoming a star attraction with his graceful presence.
Following his death, Nehru Zoo Park is now left with a single male giraffe named Sunny.
A post-mortem was conducted to determine the precise cause of death, with samples sent to the Veterinary Biological Research Institute (VBRI) for further analysis.
The director and curator of Nehru Zoo Park, Dr Sunil S Hiremath along with the staff held a small memorial for Basant, paying floral tributes and observing a two-minute silence. Dr Hiremath emphasized that Basant was a key attraction that captivated countless visitors at the Zoo Park in Hyderabad over the years.
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The Nehru Zoo Park, located near Mir Alam Tank in Bahadurpura, was inaugurated on October 6, 1963, after the relocation of the erstwhile zoo enclosures from the Public Gardens. Its construction took four years after its construction began on October 26, 1959.
The Nehru Zoo Park in Hyderabad currently hosts 2240 animals in total including 664 mammals of 55 species, 1227 birds of 97 species, 341 reptiles of 38 species and 8 amphibians of 2 species. The natural landscape of the Zoo attracts several migratory as well as resident birds.
