Surat to send otters to Delhi Zoo in exchange for Sangai deer

Surat: Smooth-coated otters are set to return to Delhi’s National Zoological Park after over 20 years, with a pair expected to arrive from Gujarat next month as part of an animal exchange programme with Surat Zoo. In return, Delhi will send two pairs of Sangai deer, of which it houses more than 80—the highest in any Indian zoo.

Zoo Director Sanjeet Kumar confirmed the upcoming transfer, noting that a team from Delhi will travel to Surat to bring the otters. The exchange was initially planned for March but was postponed due to extreme heat and unsuitable travel conditions for the animals.

A senior official emphasised that animal welfare remains a top priority during such transfers. The last otter at the Delhi Zoo died in 2004, and multiple attempts to reintroduce the species since then had failed. DeshGujarat