Three langurs escape from enclosure in Thiruvananthapuram zoo

Efforts to lure them back to the enclosure haven’t succeeded and they remain perched on two trees in the zoo compound

Three common langurs have escaped from their enclosure at the Thiruvananthapuram zoo and have been remaining perched on two trees within the zoo compound since Monday.

The zookeepers continued efforts to lure the monkeys back to the enclosure till late in the day and hope that they will not wander away from the premises as one of them did last year.

Zoo personnel who went to feed them on Monday morning found the langurs missing from their open enclosure. While they sounded an alert, the animals were found on two trees close to the enclosure that accommodated four langurs, including a male.

P.S. Manjula Devi, Director (in-charge), Department of Museums and Zoos, said the langurs escaped after a bamboo pole inside their enclosure leaned down in the heavy rain on Sunday night. While the zookeepers kept fruits in their enclosure in anticipation of their return, the monkeys did not return during their normal feeding time. However, the ‘escapees’ are still communicating with the male langur.

The authorities brace themselves for a more challenging scenario on Tuesday when the zoo will open it doors to visitors after the regular holiday on Monday.

One of the common langurs, brought from Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park in Tiruputi, escaped from the zoo in June last year, and was caught only after 24 days. During the period, it traversed the region including Mascot Hotel, LMS, Public Library, Government College for Women, and All India Radio before its capture from a Goethe Zentrum centre near DPI Junction. Only recently, it was released into the open enclosure after being confined to an iron-grilled enclosure since its capture. The other langurs were brought from Tilyar Mini Zoo in Rohtak, Haryana.

Published - September 30, 2024 09:24 pm IST