CHENNAI: Two male Hanuman langurs have escaped from the Vandalur zoo enclosure due to animal keeper's negligence.
They were recently brought from Kanpur zoo in Uttar Pradesh, as part of an animal exchange programme. The incident happened on Wednesday.
On how it happened, Zoo director Srinivas R Reddy told The New Indian Express, "The usual protocol is the animals will have to be moved to another enclosure and lock them before entering for cleaning. But, the keeper without moving the langurs entered the enclosure, giving them an opportunity to escape." He further added that fortunately the monkeys didn't attack him.
Zoo assistant director P Manikanda Prabhu said the two langurs were spotted by the tracking teams. One was photographed near Otteri lake inside the zoo premises and another one crossed the Vandalur-Kelambakkam road and spotted near the zoo rescue centre.
"We will try to capture them on Friday by luring them into animal trap cages," he said.
During the recent animal exchange programme with Kanpur zoo, the Arignar Anna Zoological Park received a pair of Egyptian vultures, which are classified as "endangered" in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, three Himalayan Griffon, which are nearly threatened and five Mottled Wood Owl that are rarely sighted in the wild.
This apart, around eight Common or Hanuman Langurs were also received. In return, Vandalur Zoo has given a pair of reticulated python and mouse deer.