Cricketer adopts lion.

Mysore, Sep 4, 2014, DHNS :

International cricketer and captain of the Karnataka Ranji team, ‘Davangere Express’ Vinay Kumar, has adopted Darshan, a male African lion at the Mysore Zoo for one year from August 31, 2014 to August 30, 2015, by making a payment of Rs 1 lakh.

Executive Director of Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, B P Ravi, said the ‘Adoption of Animals’ scheme had received good response during the last week of August and the first week of September. Anil Kumble had adopted Shankara, an Asiatic lion, for the past two years. Darshan, aged about nine, was born in the zoo. Mysore Zoo has housed a pair of Asiatic lions, Shankara and Gowri, and a pair of African lions, Darshan and Rakshitha.

A sum of Rs 19,12,893 has been received towards the ‘Adoption of Animals’ scheme this year till September 4, compared with Rs 18,78,500 last year, till August 31.