Commotion prevailed at Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park on Monday, as the officials geared up to welcome two new visitors to the famed menagerie of the temple city.
Decked in two cages, the Asiatic Lions arrived all the way from Nehru Zoological Park – Hyderabad, as part of ‘breeding loan’ programme. The male is named Akbar (3 years and 3 months) and female Siri (1 year 4 months). Amidst deafening roars, zoo workers effortlessly transferred the big cats into their respective cages.
“The lions will be kept under quarantine for 21 days and then released into the enclosure. In this time span, they will be well fed and gradually acclimatise to the conditions of their new surroundings,” said S.P. Arul, veterinary doctor at S.V. Zoological Park, while speaking to The Hindu .
The lions will be showcased in the erstwhile enclosure of ‘Royal Bengal Tiger’ and are being treated for few bruises, which they have sustained during the transport, said Zoo Curator A. Parthasarathy.
Currently, the zoological park has one Asiatic lion and nine cross breeds, housed in the sprawling 35 acre Lion Safari facility. Another 36 are kept in the ‘Animal Rescue Centre’ attached to the zoo.
