Chanakya, the sweet potato-loving Galapagos giant tortoise, died at the Nehru Zoological Garden in Hyderabad at the age of 125. The oldest resident of the zoo died of age-related complications.
Zoo authorities were concerned after Chanakya stopped eating. He was under the observation of the zoo’s veterinary team head, Dr MA Hakeem. Despite being provided his favourite diet of sweet potato and spinach, Chanakya did not eat for 10 days. When the zoo staff went to clean his enclosure in the morning, they found that he had passed away in his sleep.
He, along with another 95-year-old of his kind, have been star attractions since the inauguration of the zoo.
Chanakya was shifted from Public Gardens (Bagh-E-Aam) in Nampally in 1963. Hyderabad zoo had been his home thereafter. Before the establishment of the zoo, Public Gardens used to house animal enclosures. It is the oldest park in Hyderabad and was built by the seventh Nizam.
The initial postmortem report reveals that the tortoise died of multiple organ failure. For further investigation, samples have been sent to the Veterinary Biological and Rech Institute, and Veterinary College in Rajendranagar.
The Galapagos giant tortoise is the largest species of tortoise. They are best known for their contribution to Charles Darwin’s ‘Evolution of Species’ theory. The scientist studied them over years to make important conclusions about human evolution.
Nearly 193 species of birds, animals and reptiles are housed in the Nehru Zoological Park. The zoo is known for rare, threatened and endangered species such as rhinoceros, elephant, nilgiris langur, lion tailed macaque, sarus crane, grey pelican, and painted stork. Black-headed ibis, Eurasian spoonbill, Indian python, Indian star tortoise, Indian soft shell turtle and Indian chameleon were also successfully bred here.
Among the exotic animals, orangutan, hippopotamus, African lion, jaguar, ostrich, macaws and green iguana have bred in this zoo successfully.
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