Hyderabad: Zoo celebrates 'World Elephant Day'

Bahadurpura: On the occasion of 'World Elephant Day', the Nehru Zoological Park organised a special sumptuous buffet for the pachyderms on Thursday.

The buffet--of a cake made of ragi and rice topped with fruits, vegetables, sprouts and corn--was offered to elephants along with sugarcane, pineapple, jaggery, coconut, and green grass. The cakes were prepared by feed store and animal keepers, who are their in-charges.

According to officials, the zoo currently has four elephants (one male and three female). All are in good health.

Addressing the gathering, VVL Subhadra Devi, curator, appealed to the public that elephants should neither be seen as a source of entertainment, as in circus, nor tortured, in the name of celebrations. "We all should enjoy the beauty and grace of the huge animal which is a feast to the eyes. All zoo officials were present at the event.