Morung Express News Dimapur | January 14 Two Asiatic bears from the Nagaland Zoological Park (NZP) headed for Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala today as part of an Animal Exchange Programme with the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo. NZP recently received a pair of Royal Bengal Tigers in exchange for the two bears christened Kohima and Dimapur. A press release from the NZP Director, Sentichuba Aier stated that Kohima (male) and Dimapur (female) were successfully transported to the Dimapur Railway Station “after completing all formalities” enroute Thiruvananthapuram for an epic 3880 km journey. An NZP official added that the “special coach” carrying the two healthy bears will briefly stopover at Lumding Railway Station. At Lumding, the coach will be hitched to another train for an uninterrupted journey till Thiruvananthapuram. The release added that the two Royal Bengal Tigers are presently under quarantine inside the Zoo. Enthusiasts can visit the duo only after the completion of the quarantine period. It did not specify how long the quarantine period would last. When the felines reached Dimapur on January 9, Director Aier had stated that they will be kept under quarantine for atleast two weeks allowing them to “acclimatize” with the weather condition here. The headcount at the fledgling NZP is expected to increase as more animals are expected to join. A pair of White Tigers is expected to arrive at the NZP in a few moths time. Once bereft of big cats, the feline population at the NZP is steadily increasing. Back in July 2013, the NZP welcomed into its abode an abandoned male leopard named Doom from Kaziranga to share space with the NZP’s resident female leopard Rani. Named after the place where he was found abandoned at 3 months old, Doom was raised at Kaziranga’s Centre For Wildlife Rehabilitation & Conservation. He was found at a Tea Estate at Doom Dooma, Tinsukia, Assam. NZP is spread over a sprawling 176 hectares in area with over two-thirds of the area left for more residents. A dearth of developmental funding from the state government has hampered expansion efforts for building enclosures.
