Even after green nod,it’s a long way for Mulayam’s lion safari

Prior to opening of lion safari,a lion breeding centre and a veterinary hospital are to be set up in Fisher Forest. “It will take another eight months even if work is done on a war footing. These two are essentials for the lion safari. We have started work on them,” said Sujoy Bannerjee,Deputy Forest Conservator,Chambal Division. The lion breeding centre and veterinary hospital will be constructed over an area of 2.50 hectares in a semi circle shape with four parts. Each part will have cubicles and ample open space for venturing of lions. This will be surrounded by a road and garden. Before starting the lion safari,these animals will be kept in the lion breeding centre in Fisher Forest.

The lion safari will boast of pure-bred Asiatic lions. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav,who is also the forest minister,has categorically ordered that there should be no hybrid lion and only pure-bred Asiatic lions will be kept in the lion safari.

Presently,only Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Junagarh possess pure-bred Asiatic lions. At times when these lions are ill or injured,they are treated at Sakkarbaugh Zoological Garden hospital in Junagarh. Some of the lions become unfit for releasing in forests and are handed over to various zoos. After doing much exercise,the state’s forest department had procured two pairs of lions from Hyderabad and Rajkot zoo which are presently housed in Lucknow and Kanpur zoo. These are almost pure-bred Asiatic lions as per records of their parent zoo.

The Forest Department will keep them in the lion breeding center for captive breeding.