Neha Shukla | TNN | Jan 11, 2016, 12.21 PM ISTLUCKNOW: Is UP government not getting the 'best of specimen' in exchange
from zoos in other states for its ambitious Etawah lion safari? Or is
it the need to raise at least ten lion cubs to open safari for visitors
by October 2016, the official deadline for the project, that has put the
state government in a hurry?
Removal of three senior officers,
two of them the chief wildlife wardens from the post, following the
death of lions in the safari since November last year has not stopped
lions and cubs from dying at Etawah safari. Contrarily, doubts are being
raised on government's dealing of a `biological' project.
A
source in UP forest department said, "The health of the lion is
certified by the zoos from where we get the big cats in exchange. If the
lion is outwardly healthy-looking, we get it. We do not get the lion
medically examined by our own doctor." In that case, stress due to
transportation and travel could severely impact the vulnerable lions.
Lioness Tapasya who died on Saturday was ill ever since she reached
safari in December 28 and was kept separately from the other two lions, a
male and a female, brought along from Sakkarbaugh zoo of Gujarat to
safari in Etawah. Lion safari authorities said the lioness's haemoglobin
count was as low as 5.2 units and she was anaemic. The female had
stopped eating.
Three-and-a-half-year-old Tapasya was a
pre-breeder and had mothered cubs while her stay at Sakkarbaugh zoo.
Seven-year-old Jessica, another lioness brought from Sakkarbaugh zoo is
also a pre-breeder. Thinking pre-breeders are strong and would give
healthy cubs to the safari, the government did not chose the wild-caught
lions, like it did earlier.
Sources share that some of the
lions which were brought earlier to Etawah from zoos in other state were
caught from the wild and put in zoos for being aberrant or old or
injured before they came to Etawah.
Since lionesses learn
child-rearing from their mothers and older females in the pride, wanting
pre-breeders in exchange from Sakkarbaugh zoo was the obvious choice of
the UP government after the death of five cubs in July in the upcoming
safari's breeding centre. But before the department could proceed with
its plan to pair the lions again, the lioness died.
To make
Etawah lion safari project proceed without hiccups, state government has
also roped in a 'Gujarati' doctor who has worked with animal husbandry
department of Gujarat and zoos for over two decades. But lions continue
to die in Etawah.
Officers at Etawah safari rue that they do
not have enough literature on lions and hence can not say much on impact
of climate, terrain on lions or on their social requirements.
State government had brought under exchange programme from other zoos,
four pair of pure bloodline Asiatic lions, for Etawah safari at
different points of time in 2013. While Kuber and Heer were brought from
Rajkot zoo, Vishnu and Lakshmi, the pair that died in safari in
October-November last year, were brought from Hyderabad zoo. Gigo,
Grishma, Manan and Kunwari were brought from Sakkarbaugh zoo in Junagarh
district of Gujarat.
Manan and Kunwari's was the first pair to be released in safari in
April last year. Vishnu and Lakshmi died due to cardio respiratory
failure. Both had contracted paralysis within ten-days of their stay in
safari.
"The entire area was sanitised after the incident. What could have made Tapasya die is not known," said an officer.
Etawah safari, at present, has three pairs, Manan and Kunwari, Gigo and
Heer and Kuber and Grishma. Two cubs born to lion pair Heer and Gigo
and three born to Kuber and Grishma died in July. Three cubs were
still-born, two were discarded by the mother, Heer. "While the mother
had abandoned one of the cubs right after the birth, the another one she
abandoned an hour after the birth. But considering that lions have only
25% survival rate, this was not a rare thing happening at Etawah
safari," said a senior official.
The tragedy, however, has made forest department put the mating plans
for lions on hold for now. The department was getting a `mating-plan'
for lions ready for successful breeding this time. Lion pairs were also
being put on compatibility-test.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Lions-die-heads-roll-in-Uttar-Pradesh/articleshow/50528832.cms
