THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The four-year-old female gray langur remained elusive for the second consecutive day at the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo on Thursday. The white-haired monkey with black face and ears is a rescued animal brought from Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park, Tirupati, to the city zoo on June 5. It shares a strong bond with its mate, eating, drinking and sleeping together.
But that has not helped it to come down and join its partner waiting down at its enclosure. The elusive monkey is perched on top of a tree, right next to its enclosure. No amount of cajoling and appeasement with the help of its favourite fruits like apple or Njalipoovan (small plantain) and leafy veggies like cucumber, palak spinach, spinach and long beans has changed the monkey’s mind to climb down. For now, this gray langur is making amends with fresh leaves and wild jack fruits atop its perch to satiate its hunger pangs.
Unfortunately, it has not drunk water over the last 24 hours ever since it decided to taste freedom from its enclosure when it was released on a trial basis. It escaped from its enclosure on Tuesday evening after it completed a week-long quarantine with its male partner on the previous day. On Tuesday night, it had rained, and the zoo authorities think that it must have consumed rainwater. On Thursday evening, Dr Jacob Alexander, senior veterinary surgeon told TNIE that the Gray Langur has stepped down from the tree top by a bit and is moving up and down.
“The pair of gray langurs was rescued and kept at the Tirupati zoo which is spread amid 3,300 acres of forest. Both of them are highly compatible and they do everything together from what I had observed them over the last one week. I met them for the first time since May fourth week when we went there to bring them to the Thiruvananthapuram zoo. The male monkey is a bit confused and keeps looking out for her and he is aware that something is amiss,” said Dr Jacob Alexander.
Unlike other monkeys like the lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, rhesus monkey and bonnet macaque, this gray langur couple does not fancy boiled eggs. They have been strict vegans and love tender leaves, flowers and berries. The zoo authorities have also kept water in a container hoping that it will come down to satiate its thirst and be with her partner for good.