The female common langur that escaped from its enclosure at the city zoo three days ago continued to keep the zoo staff guessing on Friday too.
The four-year-old primate remained perched atop a tree near its enclosure most of the time, with occasional forays to the ground.
Since it could not have had water, perched so high that rarely is a glimpse to be got, the zoo officials had the staff place ‘fruit bowls’ with assorted fruits with good water content such as succulents, watermelon, and cucumber up among the branches.
The langur, brought along with its mate from Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, on June 5 escaped from the zoo on Tuesday afternoon when it was released into its enclosure as a trial ahead of formal release by Minister for Zoos J. Chinchurani on Thursday. After straying into the Nanthancode area, the langur returned to the zoo on Wednesday morning, but stayed put atop a wild jack fruit tree near its enclosure. The zoo officials hoped that it would find its way into the enclosure on its own, particularly as its partner had been placed in a spot where the female monkey could see him.
Come Thursday, there was no change in the situation. The officials had left fruits for her at the bottom of the tree and in two enclosures to tempt it back, but it had yet to taste them. However, by Thursday evening the langur had started going up and down the tree. As there was no way to make out if the animal was dehydrated, fruit baskets were left on the tree and at its base.
On Friday morning, the langur ate fruits from the fruit bowl on the tree. The zoo officials also moved its mate into the Nilgiri langur enclosure where the tree on which the langur is perched stands, after moving the langurs elsewhere. The male can now be seen by the female from the tree and it is hoped that she would soon gain confidence and return to be with him. Officials added that there was no need for concern.
