Nakul to move to original enclosure

VISAKHAPATNAM: The authorities of Indira Gandhi Zoo Park (IGZP) plan to shift the rhinocerous Nakul, who had scampered away to the sambars’ enclosure on April 12 after it was brought from Kanpur zoo, to its original enclosure and open the enclosure for visitors by the end of this month.
"The rhino is getting adjusted to his new environment and is doing well.By the end of this month, we will shift him to his original enclosure. A few veterinary doctors from Hyderabad would also help in its shifting. Tranquilisers may not be required to shift the rhino as it is not unruly," said curator G Ramalingam.
Nakul is comfortable in his present enclosure, where he is housed with the sambars, but it is not good enough for keeping the 11-year-old rhino there permanently because of security reasons, said the curator. "There are no night crawls in the sambar enclosure, where he can be safely placed at night. So, we will have to shift him to his original enclosure. We expect state minister for environment and forests S Vijayarama Raju to inaugurate the rhino enclosure as well as the butterfly park at the end of this month," said Ramalingam.
The 625-acre IGZP is home to nearly 900 animals and birds of around 90 species. In 2011-12, the zoo had generated revenue of around Rs 1.35 crore.
The number of visitors have fallen a little this summer but around 3,000 people are frequenting the zoo daily while on Sundays the number is 4,000-5,000, informed zoo authorities.