Lonely hearts’ club at Delhi zoo

In this festive season, officials at the Delhi zoo are busy playing matchmakers for a number of its inmates who have been single and ready to mingle for way too long, reports Nivedita Khandekar.

In this festive season, officials at the Delhi zoo are busy playing matchmakers for a number of its inmates who have been single and ready to mingle for way too long.

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While animals of all species have been routinely hooking up and producing cuddly, cute offspring, the zoo’s lonely hearts’ club has been swelling side-by-side, much to the discomfort of the authorities.

Waiting to exercise their conjugal rights are an African lioness, four female Sloths, one male Cassowary, a Cockatoo, a Chowsinga, a White Peafowl, and others.

“It is even an existential crisis for some species whose number has come down to one. We have written to all zoos across the country but none have responded. God knows why,” said a zoo official.

The process of matchmaking in the animal world, it turns out, is not too different from that in humans. If a zoo has an animal for another zoo then the two zoos have to first confirm mutual agreement and approach the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) for approval.

And playing the role of a matrimonial site to the hilt, the CZA diligently publishes detailed data (pictures included) of bachelors across all zoos every year.

“Once we get the proposal, we see if the zoo that is to receive that particular animal or bird, has necessary capacity. Only when we are satisfied with the arrangement, we give a green signal,” said a senior CZA official.

The Delhi zoo fulfills all criteria, but still its search seems unending.