A companion for Renitha, the female Asiatic lioness in Mysuru zoo, will soon be arriving here all the way from Rajkot in Gujarat.
Surya, a young male Asiatic lion, will be the new partner for the young lioness as the zoo here has drawn up an ambitious captive breeding programme of Asiatic lions with these two big cats.
Asiatic lion is an endangered species, surviving only in Gir forest in Gujarat. Sakkarbaug zoo is famous for breeding them and later releasing them into the Gir forest. “Everything is in place and we are awaiting clearances from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) on our deal with Rajkot zoo. We may get the lion in November,” said Kamala K., executive director, Mysuru zoo.
Ms. Kamala told The Hindu that the Rajkot zoo had agreed to spare the male lion in return for a few birds that are in our collection.
The zoos have sealed the deal and the proposal is before the CZA. It’s a matter of time as only a final nod has to come from the authority to realise the exchange of animal and birds, she said.
Renitha, the lioness from Sakkarbaug zoo in Junagadh which successfully breeds Asiatic lions in captivity, was brought here under an animal exchange programme a few months ago. In return, Mysuru zoo gave a pair of black swans, two Indian grey wolves, and a pair of sun conure birds. Prior to this exchange, Mysuru zoo received a pair of lions from Sakkarbaug zoo under the exchange programme five years ago. The lioness, Gowri, suffered a health problem and did not recover despite constant treatment. Gowri delivered a cub, which died sometime later. Gowri is now taken off public display and housed inside the zoo hospital.
Mysuru zoo had Asiatic lions in 1989 but they could not breed. Rakshitha and Darshan, both of whom were cross-bred, are the two other lions housed at the zoo. Only a few zoos in the country have housed Asiatic lion, and Mysuru zoo is one of them.
Surya will be partner for the lioness here as the zoo has drawn up an ambitious captive breeding programme
