One of the three kangaroos which were rescued by the Baikunthapur forest division from the outskirts of Siliguri recently and kept at the Bengal Safari Park located near the city.
The three animals were named Lucus, Alex and Xavier at the park on Thursday. ‘‘They have been kept in a separate enclosure and are still under observation,” said Dawa Sangmu Sherpa, the park’s director.
Sources at the park said the trio were being monitored by vets and forest staff. “Lucus and Alex are still weak. Xavier is comparatively active,” said a source.
The authorities are providing watermelon, bananas, wild grass and oral rehydration solution to the kangaroos as food, apart from medicines.
When the park was built, the Central Zoo Authority of India had granted an approval to keep only indigenous animals.
“However, a submission was made to the state zoo authority by the officials of the park to allow them to keep the three new entrants. The kangaroos would be an added attraction at the park,” said the source.
(Report by Bireswar Banerjee; picture Courtesy: Bengal Safari Park)