Neha Shukla | TNN | Updated: Sep 17, 2019, 7:07 ISTLUCKNOW:Seven Asiatic lions from Gujarat will roar in UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s backyard on September 26. Gifted by his Gujarat counterpart, Vijay Rupani, it was Yogi’s dream to usher the royal guests to Gorakhpur zoo. The initial plan was to bring eight lions from Junagadh zoo, but a female among the species was found medically unfit.
In 2014, the issue triggered a flare-up between then UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and BJP’s PM-candidate Narendra Modi, when Samajwadi Party government brought lions for Etawah lion safari. However, five years down the line, it was a quiet advent of lions, five of whom are females. Sources said, the Gujarat government has agreed to part with the lions without seeking animals in exchange.
Till Gorakhpur zoo is ready, lions will be lodged at Etawah safari, thus promising hope for Yadav’s safari project as well. It’s after three-and-half years that lions are being brought to UP from Gujarat.
Of the 10 lions brought from Gujarat under CZA-approved animal exchange programme for the Yadav’s ambitious Etawah lion safari project between 2013 and 2015, five died of canine distemper virus (CDV) and the government drew criticism. Five cubs born to different lion pairs also died, though not of CDV.
The Etawah safari was later sanitized against the contagion with a vaccine provided by San Diego zoo, US, and is now safe. The UP government, to be doubly sure of lions’ health, got the thorough medical check-up of the felines at their native zoo. Two veterinarians from UP sent to Gujarat had checked each of the eight lions. After a female was found unfit, the government decided to bring seven.“Each lion has a chip embedded in its tail and carries a unique identity,” said V K Singh, director, Etawah lion safari. Though the Gujarat government handed over custody of the lions to UP on June 11, the Yogi government waited for conducive weather to bring the big cats.
The fact that Gorakhpur zoo can house only three lions might make the state government decide to house the remaining big cats at Etawah safari, which is yet to attain minimum number of 10 cubs and has only one lioness, Jessica, as a potential breeder. The safari, at present, has six cubs which were born to Jessica since 2016
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/asiatic-lions-from-guj-to-roar-in-yogis-den/articleshow/71158828.cms
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