HYDERABAD: Weeks after importing three cheetahs from the Dvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic, the Nehru Zoological Park is making arrangements to meet its part of the deal. Under an animal exchange programme between the two, the Nehru Zoological Park has to send one pair of Asiatic lion and five gharials (crocodiles) to the Dvur Kralove Zoo."We are sending 10-year-old Avani and five-year-old Brahma (both lions) and five gharials aged between 30 and 35 to the Czech zoo on March 8. Both the lions were born and brought up at the zoo. The gharials have been here since 1978," P Mallikarjuna Rao, Director of AP Zoos told City Express.The animals will be flown to the Prague airport on an Air India flight on March 8th morning from the Shamshabad airport. They will be put in special cages so that they can endure the 10-hr long journey comfortably. With the exit of the two lions, the Nehru Zoo will be left with only two Asiatic lions, both males and aged 10, and six gharials, all aged 30.Under the animal exchange programme, the Nehru Zoo Park received three cheetahs on Feb 17. The Dvur Kralove Zoo was supposed to send two pairs of the felines but one female cheetah couldn't be flown in as it's carrying. “The female cheetah will also be sent in a year,” Mallikarjuna Rao informed.The three cheetahs were named as Munia (female aged 22 months), Monk (male aged 22 months) and Dark (male aged eight) by the Dvur Kralove Zoo. The Nehru zoo officials will change their names.The three cheetahs are under observation in a designated quarantine enclosure. As they are from a cold country, here in their quarantine enclosure, coolers, shade nets and exhaust fans are arranged. The floor has also been kept dry and clean, said Dr P Srinivas Reddy, veterinary assistant surgeon at the zoo."The cheetahs would be in quarantine enclosure for two more weeks. They would be shifted to their enclosure thereafter," Dr Reddy said.
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