THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The white tiger Shravan arrived at City Zoo by 7 am on Monday. “It is sleeping,” said a zoo official. But it was not. The tiger was sitting in a corner of its enclosure, panting, looking more a kitten, less a tiger. It looked anxious because of the unfamiliar surroundings and the large pacing cats around, according to Zoo veterinarian Jacob Alexander.
“The keeper who washed the tiger’s enclosure was not the same as the one who travelled with it. It will take a week to adjust to the new people and environment,” the vet added. The journey between Delhi and Thiruvananthapuram was completed in four-and-a-half days, as they had to arrive before the inauguration of the new anaconda enclosure set on August 26. They were travelling all day, and had little rest at night.
It was stressful for the zoo team who went along, but the tiger had a relatively easy journey, according to zoo officials. Apart from the Superintendent and the veterinarian, there were three keepers and a carpenter. Thrissur Zoo veterinarian Dr Binoy, who was part of the team, said that water was sprayed on the tiger every now and then, so that the heat would not be a bother. The zoo will soon get busy with more transfers. There is a grand Russian transfer in the pipeline, which, if approved, will bring Siberian tiger to the zoo.