VISAKHAPATNAM: The jumbos Raja and Krishna at Indira Gandhi Zoological Park put up an entertaining show with their exuberance on the World Elephant Day in the city on Friday.
School students who visited the zoo were enthralled when they saw the 13-year-old elephant Raja dancing around in its enclosure and greeting them. Raja, which was brought to the zoo from Saluru a year ago, was follow A fun date for jumbo with children following ing the instructions of its keeper Selimukham though.
Krishna, the 30-year-old bull elephant, which was brought from Vizianagaram, was kept shackeled as it is in musth period and little aggressive.
Kids stared at Raja when he came holding a board, with elephant facts written on it, with his trunk. “Unlike regular days, Raja appreared happy on Friday and is trying to entertain the visitors. We will take them round the zoo on Monday,” said Raju.
Speaking on this occasion, Zoo curator B Vijay Kumar said the escalation of poaching, man-animal conflicts and mistreatment of elephants in captivity are some of the threats to both African and Asian Elephants at present. But here in Srikakulam, there are good number of elephants. “There are two male elephants now, we will be sending our doctor to Aurangabad Zoo to check the health condition of two female elephants and would then shift them to Vizag Zoo by this month-end,” he added.
The school students later attended screening of a film on elephants.