Hyderabad: World Elephant Day was celebrated on Tuesday at the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad. The zoo’s three female elephants were taken on a walk around the park, leaving their usual enclosure to mark the event.
A special treat awaited all four elephants—Vanaja, Asha, Sita, and Vijay. They enjoyed a feast filled with various fruits and vegetables, including cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, sweet corn, papayas, bananas, watermelons, apples, pineapples, oranges, grapes, sugarcane, and coconuts. Additionally, they received 5 kg cakes made with cooked rice, ragi, fruits, and vegetables.
J. Vasantha, the Curator of Nehru Zoological Park, expressed pride in celebrating World Elephant Day. To educate visitors, the elephants were walked for 3 km within the zoo, munching on tree branches along the way. The large cakes were prepared with the assistance of animal keepers and kitchen staff.
Visitors enjoyed a closer look at the elephants inside the enclosure and learned about their ecological importance. Many appreciated the zoo’s efforts in raising awareness through such celebrations.
M. Barnoba, Deputy Curator, Dr. M. A. Hakeem, Deputy Director (Vet), Dr. P. Srinivas, Assistant Director (Vet), Nazia Thabassum, Assistant Curator-I, B. Laxman, Assistant Curator-I, along with other officers and staff, were present at the event.
