Lion pair avidly awaits younger associates

19-08-2012
Lion pair avidly awaits younger associates
Times of India
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-19/flora-fauna/33272560_1_lucknow-zoo-pair-of-asiatic-lions-rajkot-zoo

Get ready to have a closer look at Asiatic lions. The ageing lion pair of Prince and Shubhangi at Lucknow zoo is set to get a 'much younger' company soon. The enclosure adjacent to them will house a new pair of lions coming from Rajkot zoo in Gujarat.

The new pair, besides being young, will also be genetically superior as it will be of pure bloodline.

At present, Lucknow zoo has two lions. The male lion Prince is almost 18-year-old and has lived its prime while the lioness Shubhangi too is almost of the same age as Prince. Prince and Shubhangi were brought to city zoo from Chandigarh zoo in April 2003.

They are hybrid lions - a cross between Asiatic and African lions. Another lioness, Baby, also a hybrid, died in May this year.

Given the law which does not allow propagation of hybrids, zoo authorities never paired the male and the females.

As a result, no cubs were born in the zoo and the number of lions remained stagnant.

"Both the lions which we have right now are very old," said zoo director Renu Singh. In such a situation bringing in a new pair of lions was almost necessary. With the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) giving its consent to the exchange of animals between Lucknow zoo and Rajkot zoo, a four-year-old lioness, Hir, and a year-old lion cub will soon be part of Lucknow zoo's extended family.

Hir was born to Viral and Masti, a pair of asiatic lions at Rajkot zoo, in February 2008.

While the cub was born to Moj and Arjun, another pair of Asiatic lions at Rajkot zoo in October 2011. CZA has given six months to complete the exchange of animals. While Hir will be brought in first, the cub will be brought in only after he is weaned to nourishment other than his mother's milk.

While cub is too little right now, Hir is a fertile female as she gave birth to three cubs during her stay in Rajkot zoo. Hir and the cub will be kept separately at Lucknow zoo. Rajkot zoo will be getting ghariyals, hyenas, palm cevit cats, pelicans and several types of pheasants from Lucknow zoo in exchange of lions. When the lions of pure bloodline breed, they give birth to cubs of pure bloodline.

A four-year-old lioness, Hir, and a year-old lion cub will soon be part of Lucknow zoo's extended family. Hir was born to Viral and Masti, a pair of asiatic lions at Rajkot zoo, in February 2008. While the cub was born to Moj and Arjun, another pair of Asiatic lions at Rajkot zoo in October 2011.