Asiatic lions in Allen Forest on April 5

KANPUR: The pair of Asiatic lions that were to come to Allen Forest from Hyderabad zoo on Saturday will now be arriving on April 5. The journey of lions will commence from Hyderabad on April 2. The delay is because of Holi celebrations as most of zoo staff was on leave. Now, the zoo staff had returned and the preparations for housing lions and transfer of hyena, thamin deer and rhino has began.

Kanpur zoo director K Thomas said that the pair of Asiatic lions will be reaching Kanpur zoo on April 5 after travelling for three days via road route. Preparations are being made.

The enclosure in which tiger Guddu lives at present will become house of male and female lions. The tiger will be shifted to a new enclosure on the campus of zoo hospital.

Zoo veterinarian RK Singh said that preparations for housing lions and golden pheasants and transfer of hyena, thamin deer and rhino are being made. The enclosure of Guddu had been repaired. Shrubs have been cut short. The leakage in water trough has been fixed. The existing 'machan' in the enclosure will be removed and a new one made according to the body specifications of the lions. The night and feeding cells have been repaired. The welded mesh at the enclosure is being erected.

When asked about the preparations being made by the zoo staff for transferring hyena and thamin to Hyderabad zoo, the zoo authorities said that the cage has been placed in front of the feeding cell of hyena. The thamin pair will be kept in kraal (a small enclosure) from where they will be transferred into a cage. If need be, thamins will be tranqualised for transferring them into the cage.

As far as golden pheasants that Kanpur zoo will be getting from Hyderabad zoo are concerned, an enclosure has been identified where one male and two female golden pheasants will be housed.

When asked will these animals coming from Hyderabad zoo be kept in quarantine ward, the official said that there will be no need to keep them in quarantine as these animals are coming from zoo only and not from forest.

Apart from all this, three night cells will also be made for the three tiger cubs which are growing up. The tiger cubs will be house in these cells. The construction of the night cells and the enclosure is expected to start soon.