KOLKATA: The Alipore Zoological Gardens officials have decided to go for a DNA test of the lion cub, rescued from a car on Belghoria Expressway early on Saturday, to find its origin — whether it’s an African or Asiatic.
Member secretary of state zoo authority, V K Yadav, said they have held a meeting with Zoological Survey of India officials. “The meeting was held on Tuesday and ZSI officials may visit the zoo soon to collect the DNA samples of the three-month-old male lion cub,” added Yadav.
Mukesh Thakur, Scientist ‘C’ at ZSI, told TOI he would visit the zoo next week to collect the samples. “The DNA tests can be carried out through faeces samples. If the lion cub is healthy, then we can also collect its blood or fur for the tests. The results will be available in another two weeks,” Thakur added. According to him, if it turns out to be an Asiatic lion, then more details can be found out from the tests.
“We have a single population of Asiatic lion in Gujarat’s Gir and their DNA database is available online. If it’s an Asiatic lion cub, then the DNA tests can also reveal whether it was born in the wild or bred in any zoo,” he added.
A committee with zoo vets has been formed that will take a call on the surgery of the tail of a white-headed langur, also rescued the same day. “It’s tail is infected. The panel will check and decide whether it needs to be amputated,” said Yadav.
The forest department on Tuesday filed a petition, seeking cancellation of bail of three accused, before the vacation bench of Justice Shampa Sarkar. It will be heard on June 6. State’s chief wildlife warden Ravi Kant Sinha said: “I am not aware of today’s developments, but the process to file the application was on.”
The lion cub, along with two white-headed langurs, considered ‘critically endangered’, and a Javan lutung, a ‘vulnerable’ species, were found from nylon bags inside an SUV on Belghoria Expressway in the early hours of Saturday. Three persons arrested in this connection were later granted bail after their production in a Barrackpore court the same day.
Officials suspect that the prime accused, name of whom the forest department has refused to divulge, might leave the country.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/african-or-asiatic-dna-tests-to-decode-origin-of-lion-cub/articleshow/69656734.cms
No comments:
Post a Comment