Four tiger cubs born at the Pilikula Biological Park at Dr. Shivaram Karant Pilikula Nisargadhama about two-and-half months ago have now been adopted by a businessman from Abu Dhabi.
According to H. Jayaprakash Bhandary, director, Pilikula Biological Park, Michael D’Souza from paid Rs. 5 lakh to the park for the maintenance of cubs.
The cubs will be named as Amar, Akbar, and Antony and a female as Nisha as requested by the donor.
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The cubs are born to Netravathy (aged nine years) and Vikram (aged 14 years).
Mr. Bhandary said that another tiger, Kumar, born in captivity at the park (aged six years now) has been adopted by Prashanth Shet, owner of S.L. Shet Jewellers and Navaratna Group of Hotels, Mangaluru. He paid Rs. 2 lakh for its maintenance.
The director said that the park now had 11 tigers, including the cubs. An adult tiger required about seven to eight kg of meat a day in addition to two kg of chicken. The park would require about Rs. 1,500 a day to maintain a tiger.
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He said that there are five lions, including a pair of Asiatic, in the park. There are three lionesses. Each adult lion requires about nine kg to 10 kg of meat a day. It required about Rs. 2,000 a day to maintain each adult lion. The director said that as the park did not get any fixed annual budgetary grant from the government for the maintenance of animals, reptiles and birds animal and bird lovers could adopt them. Such persons would have free entry to the park and an option of naming the birds and animals.
Animal, bird lovers could contact the office of the park to know details about the adoption. The park was also looking for more adopters.