Asiatic lions, iguanas and emus will be seen among the animals housed at the Alipore Zoological Gardens here in a little more than a fortnight, and a consignment of kangaroos and zebras may not be far behind, officials told The Hindu on Friday.
“A pair of pure-bred Asiatic lions, two pairs of iguanas and a pair of emus are being brought from the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad. The Hyderabad zoo authorities are going to procure some zebras and kangaroos, so we are trying to acquire them for the zoo here as well,” said Raju Das, director of the Alipore Zoological Gardens.
Mr. Das was hopeful that they will be able to secure the same terms and conditions from the international agency that will be proving the zebras and kangaroos to the Nehru Zoological Park.
In exchange for the animals received from the Hyderabad zoo, a male giraffe, six pairs of spoon bills and a pair of pea fowl are being dispatched there shortly. “Of the animals being brought here, we are very keen about the Asiatic lions as we shall be able to go ahead with a breeding programme now.”
Although the zoo is home to four lions, all of them are hybrids and cannot be bred.
On being asked about the facilities for enclosures for the new entrants, as the zoo has been plagued with problems of congestion, he said: “We are going to create separate zones — for herbivores, carnivores, reptiles, pheasants and flightless birds — and re-organise enclosures accordingly to better utilise the 50 acres of land that form the premises of the zoo.”
Sixty spotted deer, bred in the zoo over the years, are also being sent to the Sunderban Tiger Reserve to prevent overcrowding here.
