THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Krishnakumar, a well-respected zookeeper at the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo died on Sunday after battling cancer. The 47-year old Vattiyoorkavu Manikanteswaram native, who had been working in the city zoo since the last 16 years as a daily wage labourer, had been battling cancer for the last several years. But that did not deter him from discharging his duties. When his health started deteriorating, the authorities urged him to work as a crowkeeper, relaxing the workload.
“Krishnakumar was a selfless human being who was fully dedicated to his work. He also used to take care of the spotted deer and the aviary. But his deteriorating health prompted him to take over the role of crowkeeper as a good population of crows come to raid the food served to the animals. His role had been to shoo away those crows which pestered the Barasingha deer, also known as swamp deer, spotted deer and other animals,” M Rajeev, one of his colleagues, told TNIE.
Since he had exceeded his age, Krishnakumar had been unlucky not to have a permanent job at the zoo. His body was brought to the zoo office on Sunday afternoon where the staff paid their last respects to him.
A commemorative meeting was also held, which saw veterinary surgeon Dr K R Nikesh Kiran and zoo superintendent V Rajesh paying rich tributes in memory of their colleague. His last rites were held at Santhikavadam. According to P S Manjula Devi, director, Thiruvananthapuram Museum and Zoo, Krishnakumar is survived by wife S Suja Kumari and children S Gopika Krishnan (BSc nursing student) and S Gokul Krishnan, a class 3 student.