CHENNAI: After rumours spread that animals had escaped from their enclosures, a spokesperson of the Arignar Anna Zoological Park clarified that this was untrue.
“The photographs circulated of animals wandering loose are free-range animals like the peacock and spotted deer,” explained Sudhaker, assistant director of the zoo. He added that the floods haven’t affected the functioning of the zoo, and although the numbers have dwindled, people continue to visit. “The zoo, which has 275 staff, is functioning at its full strength,” an official said. “Most of our staff live nearby, so coming to work isn’t a problem,” said another official. While animals are safe, the inundated enclosures were drained using a motor to pump out the water.