MANGALURU: Pilikula Biological Park at Moodushedde on the city outskirts welcomed Kaveri, a 10-1/2-year old female hippopotamus to its fold in the early hours of Thursday. Kaveri is one among three hippos that park has contracted from Bannerghatta National Park under the animal exchange programme approved by the Central Zoo Authority. Two other hippopotamus - a male and female respectively will reach Pilikula Biological Park by end of this month.H Jayaprakash Bhandary, director of the Park said the park will also receive a female Bengal tiger , one female common langur and 10 night herons from Bannerghatta. Night herons are medium-sized herons that measure 58-65 cm. In return, Pilikula Biological Park will send Kumar, a male Bengal tiger, one male common langur, eight golden jackals (four male), two common palm civet cats (one male), four barking deers (two male) and four red jungle fowls.Bannerghatta National Park will also get two lesser whistling teals, the director said adding the facility here constantly strives to ensure that excess animal population here are sent to other facilities in the country and animals not in the park's repertoire brought here. The Biological Park here is home to 125 species of reptiles, mammals and birds, numbering around 1250 animals, he said, adding the arrival of hippopotamuses will only add to this interesting mix.On reasons for trading Kumar with the female Bengal tiger, Bhandary said this is to prevent in-breeding which is not good in the long run and there has to be periodic change in the blood line even among animals. The park has drawn up an ambitious plan to take care of its animal stock through animal adoption programmes where the donors are given the honour of naming the animals they adopt, he said adding this programme will be continued further.

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