Why is TVM Zoo’s lioness Gracy receiving US medication and heading to Chennai?

Thiruvananthapuram: Gracy, a six-year-old lioness at the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo, has received a special treatment imported from the United States. The medication, Convenia (cefovecin sodium), is an antibiotic used to treat chronic atopic dermatitis, a condition Gracy has been struggling with for some time.

Despite previous treatments, Gracy’s condition hadn’t improved, and she continued to suffer. But now, with the arrival of the new medication, there’s a positive change. According to Dr. Nikesh Kiran, the zoo’s veterinary surgeon, the symptoms are already beginning to subside, and Gracy is responding well to the treatment.

Gracy is the daughter of Ayush and Aishwarya, a lion couple who have lived at the zoo for years. She has always needed extra care because her hind legs are weak, a condition she was born with.

With her health improving, the zoo authorities have decided to transfer Gracy to the Vandalur Zoo in Chennai for further treatment. In exchange, another lioness will be brought to Thiruvananthapuram as part of a ‘bloodline exchange’ programme. This programme is aimed at improving the genetic health of the zoo’s lion population, ensuring stronger and healthier offspring in the future.