Two male Hanuman langurs escaped from Vandalur Zoo enclosure. They were recently brought from Kanpur Zoo in Uttar Pradesh as part of an animal exchange program.
Negligence of Animal Keeper
- The escape was due to negligence by the animal keeper.
- The keeper entered the enclosure without following the protocol of moving the animals to another enclosure and locking them before cleaning.
Director’s Statement
- Zoo Director Srinivas R Reddy highlighted the breach in protocol.
- He mentioned that despite the keeper’s actions, the langurs didn’t attack him, which was fortunate.
Tracking and Spotting
- Zoo assistant director P Manikanda Prabhu stated that tracking teams spotted the langurs.
- One langur was photographed near Otteri lake inside the zoo premises.
- The other crossed the Vandalur-Kelambakkam road and was spotted near the zoo rescue center.
Capture Plan
- Efforts to capture the langurs were planned for Friday.
- The strategy involves luring them into animal trap cages.
Recent Animal Exchange with Kanpur Zoo
- Received species: Egyptian vultures (endangered), Himalayan Griffon (near threatened), Mottled Wood Owl (rarely sighted in the wild), and Common or Hanuman Langurs.
- Notable species: Egyptian vultures are classified as “endangered” in the IUCN Red List.
Exchange Details
- Vandalur Zoo provided a pair of reticulated python and mouse deer in return.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ):
- What was the cause of the Hanuman langurs’ escape from Vandalur Zoo?
- A) Breach in enclosure security
- B) Keeper’s negligence
- C) Animal aggression
- D) Equipment failure
- Answer: B) Keeper’s negligence
- What was the protocol overlooked by the animal keeper?
- A) Cleaning the enclosure without moving the animals
- B) Locking the enclosure before cleaning
- C) Providing food to the langurs
- D) Performing a health check-up on the langurs
- Answer: A) Cleaning the enclosure without moving the animals
- Where were the escaped langurs spotted?
- A) Near Otteri lake inside the zoo premises
- B) Near Vandalur-Kelambakkam road
- C) Both A and B
- D) None of the above
- Answer: C) Both A and B
- What was the proposed plan to capture the escaped langurs?
- A) Luring them with food
- B) Using tranquilizers
- C) Setting animal trap cages
- D) Directly approaching and capturing them
- Answer: C) Setting animal trap cages