Nandankanan to get 4 lions, as many zebras from Israel

BHUBANESWAR: Nandankanan will soon get four lions and as many zebras from the Zoological Centre in Tel Aviv (Israel). The state government has given its go-ahead to the plan.

Official sources said the Israel zoo has agreed to give away two pairs of African lions and four zebras. Nandankanan has one zebra and two Asiatic and six hybrid lions.

"Since the animals will be brought from a foreign country, we need to have import licence. We also need a clearance from the Union ministry of environment and forests. It has already been sought. We also have to get permission from Central Zoo Authority and custom clearance," said zoo director Sudarshan Panda.

He said the animals would be brought in a special plane from Tel Aviv to Mumbai. They would then be brought to Nandankanan by road, he added.

"We will bear the transportation cost. Nearly Rs 25 lakh will be spent on it," he said.

The zoo will have to modify the zebra and lion enclosures to accommodate the animals.

"Although we have enclosures to house the two varieties of animals, some renovation is required," said a zoo official.

Last year, the zoo got a pair of Asiatic lions from Junagad zoo in Gujarat.