Nandankanan welcomes chimp Pampeta’s 6th baby

Bhubaneswar: Nandankanan Zoological Park here welcomed a new member as Pampeta, the oldest chimpanzee delivered her sixth baby at the feeding-cum-resting chamber on Friday night.

The condition of the baby chimpanzee is stated to be stable.

Pampeta along with a male chimp Julu was brought from Singapore zoo under an exchange programme in June 1994 when she was only 3 years old. Five baby chimps have so far been born to Pampeta-Julu.

Pampeta had first delivered Barsha on May 12, 1998. However, the baby died in six months. She was blessed with another baby chimp Purnima on June 9, 2001. Her third male baby, who was born on November 9, 2006, was killed by Julu. Later, Pampeta gave birth to Subhadra on July 7, 2010. Subhadra was sent to Patna zoo and in exchange of the chimp, Nandankanan got a Giraffe. The female chimp Pampeta delivered her fifth child John on December 25, 2014. But John died on September 27, 2016, due to respiratory complications.

On the other hand, the zoo is all set to get a pair of Nilgiri Langurs as part of an animal exchange programme with Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Chennai. After death of a male Nilgiri Langur (22) on March 15, 2012, there was no other species of this breed in the zoo

Besides, four white Peafowls, 10 Painted Storks and four Reticulated Pythons will also be brought in return for a pair of Himalayan bear, a male Siamese crocodile, a pair of water monitor lizard, five pairs of White Ibis and four openbilled storks (grey cranes).

The team, which left for Chennai with the animals in a special vehicle on Thursday, is expected to be back on Monday.