Indore zoo to get male hippo from Kanpur

Indore: A male hippopotamus, Satish, from Kanpur will be relocated to Indore to pair with city zoo’s only female hippopotamus, Dimpi. In return, Indore zoo will send a lioness, Veera, to Kanpur, where a male lion, Shankar, has been staying alone for a long time.Dimpi, who is around 15 years old now, was born in Indore zoo and is the only hippo here. Due to absence of a male companion, the hippopotamus population has not increased at the facility. Indore zoo in charge Dr Uttam Yadav said that Satish’s arrival, expected in a month, would complete the pair.Central Zoo Authority has approved the animal exchange between Indore’s Kamla Nehru Prani Sangrahalaya and Kanpur zoo.Logistics for the 700-km journey from Kanpur to Indore, which requires specialized planning due to biological needs of hippopotamus, are being worked out.To maintain animal’s skin moisture and regulate its body temperature, authorities are constructing a customized cage equipped with a water-spraying mechanism. Attending staff will continuously douse Satish with water throughout the transit. Around 20,000 litres of water are expected to be consumed during the journey to ensure that the animal remains hydrated and cool.Indore zoo currently houses 13 lions, making the species viable for regional exchange programmes. The facility has previously exchanged seven lions with zoos in Raipur, Chennai, and Jamnagar and in return got four yellow anacondas and two ostriches, among other species.