‘Malar’ in city zoo gets a companion

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The zoo officials have denied the reports that the young white tiger Sravan would be rechristened George, the hero of the mega-hit Malayalam movie Premam in which he loves Malar, the heroin.  

Sravan was brought from the National Zoological Gardens, New Delhi,  on Monday as a mate for six-year-old white tigress, Malar.

Sravan  reached the city zoo after a tedious 10-day trip from Delhi.   The zoo officials have been inundated with calls on the chances of him being rechristened  George.

Zoo superintendent  K. Sadasivan Pillai told DC that per the norms of the Central Zoo Authority, the name of any animal being brought in exchange  cannot be changed.

“Even if a particular animal has been exchanged between zoos several times, its new custodian cannot just change its name overnight. Sravan will be closely monitored and after Onam both he and Malar will be kept in adjoining enclosures,”  said Mr. Pillai.

On the second day of his arrival, Sravan was  released in his new enclosure and visitors thronged to see him.   Sravan is getting acclimatized in his new environs.

According to his keeper M. Ramachandran, Sravan tasted beef for the first time in his life on Tuesday  as he had been fed with calf buffalo meat at the Delhi zoo.

Zoo veterinarian Dr. Jacob Alexander informed that they had made arrangements to feed Sravan with calf buffalo meat on Sundays as it is available only on that day. With the arrival of Sravan, the city zoo is expected to get valuable progenies in the near future.