Giraffe-less Delhi Zoo hopes to acquire animal from Thailand

The Delhi Zoo has written to three zoos in Thailand to acquire five giraffes through an animal exchange programme.

The National Zoological Park (NZP), also known as the Delhi Zoo, lost its last giraffe, eight-year-old Ankit, in June 2015 due to a heart attack and kidney failure.

Since then, NZP authorities have written to a number of zoos across the country to acquire giraffes.

"In my two years here, I have written to many zoos, including those in Mysuru, Patna, and Kolkata. We have been making continuous efforts in this direction," NZP director Renu Singh said.

"We talked to the directors of those zoos. The authorities in Patna and Mysuru told us they would consider the request once their giraffes reproduce," she said.

Singh has now written to the authorities in Thailand which has 24 giraffes in seven zoos.

"We have written to three zoos in Thailand to acquire five giraffes through an exchange programme. We have are hopeful our efforts will be successful," she said.

The letter to three Thailand zoos proposing an animal exchange programme was sent with a list of surplus animals in the Delhi Zoo.