7 anacondas find their way into Kerala
Thiruvanathapuram zoo has become the fourth zoological park in India to have anacondas
Thiruvananthapuram: The Thiruvanathapuram zoo has become the fourth zoological park in the country to have anacondas, the longest and heaviest snake variety.
Seven green anacondas, six of them females and one male, brought from Sri Lanka, will soon be on display for viewers after the reptiles become well acclimatised with the local temperature, zoo authorities said.
Though the Mysore and Hyderabad Zoos and the Crocodile Bank in Chennai already have the ferocious reptile variety, the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo is having the highest number of them.
The snakes arrived here safely on Thursday from Dehiwala Zoo in Sri Lanka as part of an animal exchange programme.
"Though three other zoological parks in the country already have anaconda, we have now the highest number of Green Anacondas. Reptile buffs as well as general enthusiasts in the state can now have an opportunity to have a close look at them," Zoo Director B Joseph told PTI.
He said the upkeep of these snakes was a great challenge as it needed special care compared to other reptiles.
"We have to keep them in a 27 degree Celsius temperature. Special care should be given until they get accustomed to the natural temperature and surroundings here," he said.
The snakes would be displayed at the exhibition area within one month after getting approval from quarantine and certification services authorities, the official added.
Anacondas have become a nightmare of people, especially children, after the release of a 1997 Hollywood movie in the same name.
One of the oldest zoological parks in the country, Thiruvananthapuram zoo, located in the heart of the city, has a large number of animals like tiger, leopard, rhinoceros, Asiatic lions and elephants, besides a separate avian enclosure having Indian Peafowl, White Spoonbill and Cassowary.