New Home: The tiger and hippo bought from Mysore zoo. Pictures by Manik Bose

Ranchi, July 22: For four long years Salim had to live all by himself. But not anymore, as Royal Bengal tigers Sugriva and Durga have now joined him at Birsa Munda Zoological Park.

Six-and-a-half-year-old Sugriva (tiger) and six-year-old Durga (tigress) arrived from Shri Chamrajendra Zoological Garden, better known as Mysore zoo, on Monday night.

Salim (19) was the only Royal Bengal Tiger at the zoo till Sunday. Director of the zoo P.K. Verma told The Telegraph that the main reason for bringing the tigers from Mysore was to increase the Royal Bengal tiger population in the zoo.

“Since Salim is getting old and has already crossed his survival age, we thought of bringing in a new couple to start the breeding process in order to increase the tiger population in the zoo,” Verma said.

Visitors will now have many things to look forward to in the zoo situated 18km from the state capital. For the first time since it opened in 1994, the Birsa zoo has hosted so many different species of animals. For over two years, the zoo officials had been trying to bring in the new guests from Mysore zoo after getting the approval from the Central Zoo Authority.

The Birsa zoo officials have also brought a male and female bison and one male hippopotamus, Lalu. Two trucks and two cages were sent to bring the latter on July 17. The female hippopotamus is due to arrive tomorrow.

The cages were a necessity, admitted officials. Animals need to adapt to the place (in this case the cage) before being shifted from one place to another. Birsa zoo officials had made special arrangements and mounted water pumps in the truck so that Lalu’s skin remained moist. The animal starts bleeding if kept dry.

Under an animal exchange programme, four hyenas (three male and one female), a pair of jungle cats (male and female) and a Himalayan black bear was sent to Mysore zoo on July 7. On the same day, a five-member team left for Mysore in three trucks to bring the animals to the state.

Verma added that they were also planning to breed the bisons that fall under the Schedule I animal category.

“All the animals that have been brought from Mysore zoo are healthy and are being constantly monitored by our veterinary doctor after they were released in their cages,” he said.

Birsa zoo is also trying to get three Asiatic Lions from Sri Renukaji Zoo, Himachal Pradesh.