The Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad has announced the birth of a one-horned Rhinoceros and a Gaur on the occasion of World Environment Day, June 5, 2021. A male Gaur calf was born on June 2, 2021, the same day the state celebrates the Telangana State Formation Day. The one-horned rhinoceros male calf was born a fortnight ago at the zoo. The male Gaur calf was named Komaram Bheem by R Sobha, IFS, who is the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Forces) in Telangana. The name was suggested in honour of Komaram Bheem, a renowned tribal leader. Nanda was the name given to the calf of the one-horned Rhinoceros.
At the event held to welcome the two new members to the zoo, a planting campaign was also undertaken inside the zoo with native wild species, particularly wild fruit-bearing trees, to promote biodiversity and progress towards the long-held objective of making the zoo a centre for teaching and conservation of both fauna and flora. The Nehru Zoological Park is home to over 1,500 species of birds, mammals, and reptiles.
While addressing the event, the forest officer expressed her appreciation for the work done by the zoo authorities. She also stated that Hyderabad is at the forefront of wild animal conservation and breeding and that the births of these gigantic herbivores are a cause for celebration in an otherwise bleak environment during this pandemic. She praised the department and the zoo's hard work and dedication to wildlife conservation during these trying times.
In celebration of World Environment Day, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan participated in the Green India Challenge with Member of Parliament J Santosh Kumar by planting saplings. The Governor said in her tweet “Glad to plant saplings today at Raj Bhavan #Hyderabad, as a gesture to save nature and it's ecosystem. On this #WorldEnvironmentDay2021, let's make a promise to work for the betterment and restoration of the ecosystem (sic).”
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