THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The glorious roar of Ayush that mesmerised the visitors of Thiruvananthapuram zoo is no more. The lion king, who was the main attraction of the zoo for a long time, died this morning due to old age. 21-year-old Ayush was under the care of staff due to declining health.

Ayush was brought to the capital from Vandalur Zoo in 2008. He has long been a fascination for visitors due to his size and his roar that made even the staff shiver. Later, due to old age, he got sick from time to time and did not leave the cage. Nyla and Leon, recently brought from Tirupati Zoo, will now welcome visitors as Ayush's successors.

Meanwhile, four Hanuman monkeys (Gray langurs) were brought to the zoo last Sunday morning. Two pairs of Hanuman monkeys were brought from Rohtak Zoo in Haryana. They were exchanged for a pair of hyenas. The monkeys transferred to the animal house will be under observation for 15 days and then they will be transferred to the visitor cage.