THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Thiruvananthapuram Zoo, home to over 1,100 animals, owes a debt of gratitude to Dr Jacob Alexander, the senior veterinarian who has served there for 12 years on a continuous deputation in the rank of deputy director. Dr Jacob bids farewell on Wednesday, as the 54-year-old veterinarian prepares to return to his parent department, animal husbandry, to assume the role of Chief at the Kerala Government Multi Specialty Veterinary Hospital in Kudapanakunnu. Over the last 45 days, Jacob has been diligently training his successor, Dr K R Nikesh Kiran, who will officially take over on Thursday.
During Jacob’s tenure, he has nursed numerous animals back to health, often from the brink of death. One remarkable case involved Raju, a 27-year-old male Hippopotamus, whose lower jaw teeth had slipped and become lodged in his upper jaw. In a truly miraculous turn of events, the giant hippo, in excruciating pain, cooperated fully with the doctor, without the need for anesthesia.
“It was pretty risky. I went on patting him and kept on calling his name. He then understood that I’d come to help him from the pain. So he lay down on the floor and allowed me to clean up the tooth that was stuck in his upper jaw. With a rope tied like a noose, I could extract the teeth which were stuck on the wrong alignment”, said Dr Jacob.
In another daring surgery, Jacob saved Lakshmi, a Lion-Tailed Macaque, after a violent altercation with a fellow monkey left her in dire need of thoracic surgery. To this day, Lakshmi holds a deep affection for Jacob, who gave her a second chance at life. Jacob was granted commendation by B Joseph, the then Museum and Zoo director, for his exemplary service.
The vet also medically managed Malar, a White Tiger, for Pyometra (uterine infection) without surgery, marking a first-of-its-kind success globally. This achievement was recognized and published in major medical journals, including Agricultural Science Digest.
When the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, there were concerns about wild animals in various zoos contracting the virus. Fortunately, the 100 species of animals under Jacob’s care were spared from the pandemic. However, one of the most challenging moments for him was dealing with a tuberculosis outbreak among the deer population early this year.
“I felt that it’s high time to train a young veterinarian and entrust our dear animals to him. This plea was heard by the state government and adequate measures have been taken to select and train Dr Nikesh under me”, added Jacob.
Son of Fr T J Alexander and K G Mariamma, Jacob resides in Nanthencode, near the zoo. His family includes his wife, Dr Jyothi Susan, a consultant at the State TB demonstration unit, their elder son, Dr Alexander Jacob, a resident at CMC Vellore, their second son, Varghese Jacob, a medical student, and their younger daughter, Juana Mariam Jacob, a Plus Two student.